Thursday, January 17, 2008

D.C. United is in the process of selling 19-year-old midfielder Bryan Arguez to Hertha Berlin of the German Bundesliga, the second player this offseason to be transferred by the MLS club to Europe.

According to sources familiar with the deal, United and MLS will receive between $350,000 and $400,000 as well as financial considerations if Arguez is sold to another club in the future. Details of the move were expected to be completed within a week. Last month, United sent starting goalkeeper Troy Perkins to Norwegian club Valerenga for an estimated $750,000.

MLS teams collect approximately two-thirds of a transfer fee -- the balance goes to the league -- for use in acquiring and re-signing players. United is believed to be in the late stages of negotiations with three South Americans: Argentine forward Franco Niell, Colombian defender Gonzalo Mart¿nez and Peruvian goalkeeper Jos¿ Carvallo.

Arguez, a Miami native, was United's first-round draft pick last year but did not appear in any regular season matches. After being away with the U.S. under-20 national team for several weeks, he did not progress as well as expected and rarely was considered for the 18-man game-day roster.

Arguez has been training the past two weeks with Hertha Berlin, which is in 12th place among 18 teams at the midway point of the season and is in the process of overhauling its roster.

United General Manager Dave Kasper declined to comment.

U.S. WOMEN: In September, Hope Solo was kicked off the U.S. women's soccer team for trashing the coach. Yesterday, the goalie not only was back on the squad, she played the entire game as the Americans beat Canada, 4-0.

Solo, who made two saves, was thrilled to be playing in the Four Nations Tournament in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou. But she had reservations about coming back.

"I was scared. I was frightened. I didn't know what it would be like with the team," she said after the game. "But everyone has shown so much determination to move on."

The trouble began last September in the World Cup semifinals in China. Solo was a starter and playing well in the tournament. But Greg Ryan, then the U.S. coach, made a surprise decision to use Briana Scurry for a match with Brazil, which handily beat the Americans, 4-0.

After the defeat, Solo ripped into Ryan, saying he made a mistake by switching goalies and that she would have made the saves.

U.S. MEN: Argentina remained the top-ranked team in the FIFA world rankings, while the United States dropped one spot to 20th after not playing since Nov. 17.

-- From News Services and Staff Reports