Michael Bradley Move to Aston Villa Highlights Final Day of Transfer Window

A move to the English Premier League will bring a smile to any player's face, even the U.S. national team's noted stoic, Michael Bradley.

The 23-year-old's meteoric rise through world soccer continued on Monday, the final day of the European winter transfer window, with a loan from Germany's relegation-bound Borussia M�nchengladbach to Aston Villa.

The Birmingham club will have an option to purchase Bradley's contract -- which expires in the summer of 2012 -- over the summer.

The club released photos of Bradley modeling his new No. 13 shirt at Villa Park, in which he appeared delighted, and a few quotes that confirmed his excitement over the move.

"I am really excited to be joining Villa. I am proud and thrilled and can't wait to get going now," Bradley said. "Everyone can see that Aston Villa is a big club, a fantastic club, with tradition and great supporters ... I want to play at the highest level and test myself in the biggest of games. Whether it's on Saturday against Fulham at Villa Park or the week after, I am excited to be here and ready to get going."

Villa has won two straight league games and has risen to 13th in the standings at 7-10-7. It travels to Manchester United for a mid-week tilt on Tuesday, then hosts Clint Dempsey and Fulham on Saturday.

With 'Gladbach on its way out of the Bundesliga, Bradley's stay at the club he joined in the summer of 2008 seemed destined to end prematurely. The fact that he came off the bench in 'Gladbach's past two games was an even stronger indication. He was linked to several clubs both inside and outside of Germany, including Sunderland, Palermo of Italy's Serie A and Turkish power Galatasaray.

But it was Villa, which already employs Americans Brad Friedel and Eric Lichaj and which was in contact last summer with Michael's father and U.S. national team coach Bob Bradley about its managerial opening, which closed the deal.

Bradley debuted with the MetroStars (now New York Red Bulls) at 16. He was playing (and scoring a ton of goals) in the Dutch first division two years later, was in the Bundesliga at 21 and started all four games of the U.S. World Cup run at 22 (Villa coach G�rard Houllier said he attended all four). Just after his 23rd birthday, Bradley earned his 50th international cap. Now he'll be playing in the most popular league on the planet.

"For me, the Premier League is the best league in the world," said Bradley, who probably watches all of them. "You watch a game in the Premier League and the speed of the game, the pace and the power all stand out. To have the opportunity to come here and test myself at the highest level, week in and week out, is incredible and to try to take the things I do as a player and make them count at the highest level. It's a great challenge."

Villa made room for Bradley by offloading midfielder Stephen Ireland on a loan to Newcastle United.

Bradley's switch was the American highlight of a gripping transfer window finale that was making news right up until the midnight close in Europe. Seventh-place Liverpool, newly acquired by Boston Red Sox ownership group New England Sports Ventures, made the most headlines.

It lost Spain's Fernando Torres to Chelsea for a British record $79.5 million, then replaced him with Newcastle's Andy Carroll for $55.7 million. Carroll has scored 11 goals this season, Torres nine.

Three other well-known Americans were on the move Monday as well, securing loan deals designed to get them off of the bench and onto the field.

Jozy Altidore, doomed to limited minutes at Villarreal by the exploits of New Jersey native Giuseppe Rossi and Brazil's Nilmar, is off to Turkey and defending champion Bursaspor. Altidore confirmed the move himself on Twitter on Monday evening.

The high point of his season came in November, when he scored two goals against Ejido in the Copa del Rey. But he appeared in only two La Liga games since, and now will look to make his mark at the club sitting second in the S�per Lig at 12-2-5.

Eddie Johnson is another American forward looking for minutes. He's failed to find them at Fulham, where he's started just one EPL game this season. On Monday he went on loan to Preston North End, currently the bottom club in England's second division. PNE once fielded former U.S. internationals Brian McBride and Eddie Lewis.

Fulham paid Fulham paid �3 million to sign Johnson from Sporting Kansas City three years ago.

"There is a lot of history behind the club and I think they are in a false position right now in the league. I am looking forward to being a part of their tremendous comeback to get themselves up the table where they should be," Johnson told PNE's website.

"When I heard that Preston were interested in me I contacted my agent to make sure it was something that could happen and now I am looking forward to it ... Football is a global sport and as a player it is always good playing with a team where you are wanted."

And Freddy Adu, whose sad slide into irrelevance has made for painful reading, will join Altidore in Turkey. After failing to catch on with several European clubs over the past few months, Adu -- whose rights still are held by Portugal's Benfica -- has signed with �aykur Rizespor until the conclusion of the season (Adu in his new jersey, photo).

Rizespor, located in the northeast of the country, is in third place in the Turkish second division. It was relegated in 2008.

Following the aforementioned moves, 12 of the 23 members of the U.S. World Cup team have changed clubs since the summer.

The most surprising mainstay is Benny Feilhaber, who now will spend the entire 2010-11 season in the Danish second division with AGF Aarhus. West Ham's Jonathan Spector also appeared to be at least a loan candidate, but his recent scoring exploits from the Hammers' midfield have increased his value at Upton Park.

The other moves: Carlos Bocanegra from Rennes to Saint-�tienne (transfer); Oguchi Onyewu from AC Milan to FC Twente (loan); DaMarcus Beasley from Rangers to Hannover 96 (transfer); Herculez Gomez from Puebla to Pachuca (transfer); Jonathan Bornstein from Chivas USA to Tigers UANL (transfer); Edson Buddle from Los Angeles Galaxy to FC Ingolstadt (transfer); Jay DeMerit from Watford to Vancouver Whitecaps (transfer); Brad Guzan from Aston Villa to Hull City (loan); Robbie Findley from Real Salt Lake to Nottingham Forest (transfer); Clarence Goodson from IK Start to Br�ndby (transfer).

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