Bring Jozy Altidore home, New York Red Bulls

Jozy Altidore needs to come home, to MLS‘s New York Red Bulls

It’s the Major League Soccer homecoming story that writes itself.

Fans of the New York Red Bulls could not help themselves from immediately dreaming of United States Men’s National Team striker Jozy Altidore returning to his first club upon learning of these comments made by the Sunderland front man earlier this week:

"“I thought I’ve done everything I could this season to come in as fit as possible with the injury and try to make an impact when I’ve played. But like I said these four years, I want to be part of the national team. Jurgen makes his message very clear, nobody is different, so if it doesn’t turn around then in January I’ll be looking to start elsewhere and make sure that I’m in his plans going forward.”"

Altidore’s struggles since joining the English Premier League side are well documented. The 24-year old has netted 3 goals in 45 games across all competitions for Sunderland. He was dropped to train with the Sunderland Under-21s last spring, and he hasn’t yet registered a Premier League regular season start this fall.

The Red Bulls going out and acquiring the American is not as simple as is moving him from Sunderland to RBNY in FIFA 15. There are right now far more questions than answers regarding that imagined transaction.

Altidore wants to one day return to the Red Bulls. He has said so in interviews multiple times over the years. The striker also has high ambitions, and he knows that he has not yet entered his physical prime.

Altidore wishes to play in Europe — as in European competitions such as the Champions League. Those quick to hit out at Altidore’s form and his lack of scoring would do well to remember that he buried 26 goals across all competitions for Eredivisie side AZ Alkmaar in 2012-13. Logic would suggest that he could experience a jump-start to his EPL career were he to land in an ideal situation under the proper tutelage.

Whether or not Altidore is willing to reunite with the Red Bulls or join any other MLS team next January is unknown.

There are also transfer fee concerns to be considered. While MLS did not announce the fee for Jermain Defoe when the striker joined Toronto FC from Tottenham Hotspur last January, it is believed that the English forward cost around $10 million. That’s $10 million for what was, at the time, a 31-year old international footballer with no ties to Canada or to Toronto FC.

Jun 28, 2014; Sao Paulo, BRAZIL; USA forward Jozy Altidore smiles as he jogs during team training at Sao Paulo FC. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Rumor is that Altidore could fetch a fee of $11-12 million.

The Red Bulls are, to the surprise of nobody who has followed the club for any significant amount of time, a team in turmoil this October. While in the midst of the team’s push toward the playoff spot not yet guaranteed to New York, news broke last week that Red Bull could be looking at selling the club. There are also those continued rumors about the futures of captain Thierry Henry and Tim Cahill that aren’t going anywhere anytime soon.

Whispers of Henry leaving the Red Bulls and possibly calling time on his playing days after the current MLS season ends were first heard over a year ago. His contract situation remains in limbo. Cahill, meanwhile, has been linked with moves to England or back home to Australia.

Don’t let the notion of Red Bull wanting to cut MLS costs scare you from imagining Altidore in a red New York kit. The Red Bulls getting both or even one of their designated players off of the books, moves some backers of the club would support regardless of what RBNY did with the extra money, would free up cash for Altidore’s wages. MLS has ways of working transfer fees out for USMNT players, so believing that Altidore is somehow out of RBNY’s reach is silly.

The switch makes sense for Altidore. He would, with the Red Bulls, get desired playing time and then some, and Altidore has the goods to light it up against what are, no disrespect meant, lackluster MLS back lines. US boss Jurgen Klinsmann didn’t punish either Clint Dempsey or Michael Bradley for ditching top-flight European leagues for MLS, and there is no reason to believe he would treat Altidore differently.

Then there’s the Red Bulls, a team that is about to face stiff competition for local attention from expansion club New York City Football Club (NYCFC will begin playing next MLS season). While NYCFC have signed the likes of David Villa and Frank Lampard, the Red Bulls have done nothing to respond to those acquisitions.

The Red Bulls winning the MLS Cup this fall would help matters, as would re-signing a favorite former son. It’s now on the club to make bring Altidore home where he belongs.

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