Transfer rumors continue to fly around and, yet again, French club Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) are rumored to be in pursuit of top American talent. French site FootMercado reports (French link, translation below) that PSG is in pursuit of U.S. goalkeeper Hope Solo, but that she will not be making any moves until January.
French journalist Fabien Lévêque also reports that PSG is talking to Abby Wambach and Christine Sinclair, currently No. 2 and No. 3, respectively, on the all-time goal scoring charts, behind Mia Hamm.
France is clearly a place to keep an eye on, but be cautious with this news. Just 10 days ago in Rochester, N.Y., Wambach very clearly stated that she wants her legacy to include creating a sustainable professional league in the U.S.
“I’m not getting any younger, so traveling from here to Europe, or here to Asia would be difficult for me and my family,” Wambach said. “But at the end of the day I want to leave a legacy and part of that legacy is to have a sustainable professional league. That’s what my dream has been; two have started and failed.”
So why would she sign with a French team before this proposed U.S. league even announces a name or significant details? The league is lagging behind on these announcements, but unless something drastically changed behind the scenes, a Wambach move to PSG would be extremely puzzling (though not unthinkable).
PSG is the same team that threw six figures at 20-year-old U.S. youth international Lindsay Horan, enough to convince the forward to give up a scholarship to North Carolina and play professionally. So yes, this team has money and is willing to spend it in order to compete with two-time defending UEFA Champions League title holder Lyon.
But let’s sit tight on the Wambach reports. If a deal goes through in the immediate future, Wambach will have questions to answer about what happened to her “legacy” commitment, but I think she’ll stand firm on playing in the United States. As for Sinclair? That could be more realistic — and a definite game change for PSG on the French and European scene.
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Here is the translation of that FootMercado report:
Jean-Michel Aulas would he fear that OL loses its supremacy over women’s football? Still, the president Rhone somewhat criticized the management of the transfer window for PSG women’s team. The club has recruited Ile Shirley Cruz (a former Lyon) and Linda Bresonik (German International).
“I am delighted that the PSG plays the game of women’s football. This effort will increase the level of the Championship. But I would not take it that way. They recruited Lyonnaises who had no contract with us and two German Duisburg, a club that is not qualified for the Champions League. I understand that in January they will put the package on American recruits, including the keeper Hope Solo, who played with us there are six to seven years.”
