Dani Osvaldo could be heading to Major League Soccer.
Argentine outlet Ole claim that the Southampton striker, who has spent time on loan at Juventus, Inter Milan and Boca Juniors over the past 18-months, could be heading to the New York Red Bulls this summer.
Osvaldo, 29, is an Italian international forward with a penchant for scoring spectacular goals (see this strike for Saints against Manchester City in 2013) but also has a habit of getting into fights with teammates and falling out with just about everyone else.
At Southampton he fought with Jose Fonte and was subsequently sent out on loan to Juventus and then Inter Milan but he also brawled with a teammate (Mauro Icardi) at the latter before being moved on by Saints once again to Boca Juniors on loan.
Osvaldo’s loan with Boca runs out on June 30 and Saints will be looking to ship him out on loan once again, or try and strike a deal for the Argentine-born striker who still had two years left on his current deal with the PL upstarts. Osvaldo doesn’t appear to have any future whatsoever at the Premier League club despite signing a four-year deal back in 2013 when he arrived from AS Roma in a $22 million deal.
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Would he add quality to New York’s front line? Unquestionably. Osvaldo has scored 16 goals in 49 appearances, mostly off the bench, for Juve, Inter and Boca in his last three loan spells and although his work-rate may be questioned by some he is a true finisher and always makes his presence felt on the pitch.
Jesse Marsch’s side have made a great start to his first season in charge at Red Bull Arena but there will be question marks regarding RBNY’s depth at the striker position after losing Thierry Henry and Tim Cahill over the offseason. Bradley Wright-Phillips is again New York’s go-to man in attack as the MLS leading scorer in 2014 has five of their 14 goals in MLS so far this season. Attackers Lloyd Sam, Felipe Martins and Mike Grella have another five goals between them and although bringing in Osvaldo on loan could prove tricky it may be needed.
The big question here isn’t about Osvaldo’s quality, but instead it is about his temperament and if Marsch is willing to upset the balance of his squad by bringing in a player who has has 11 clubs in 11 years as a professional.
