Port Vale: Birchall linked with LA Galaxy
by Steve Shaw
FORMER Port Vale midfielder Chris Birchall is believed to be keen on a move to MLS outfit LA Galaxy.
The American side, who still boast England superstar David Beckham among their ranks, are proposing to offer the 24-year-old a one-year-deal with the option of a second year.
However, they have yet to make a formal offer as negotiations continue.
Birchall is currently playing for League One side Brighton, while the latest MLS season kicked off last month.
Any transfer would rest on whether the midfielder can negotiate a release from his current contract with the Seagulls, which runs out at the end of the current campaign.
However, Brighton may be willing to terminate his deal as Birchall has only made eight league starts since joining from Coventry at the beginning of January.
The Galaxy have been tracking Birchall for a couple of weeks, while they have been impressed by his recent performances for Trinidad, who he played for in the 2006 World Cup.
His last outing for his country came earlier this month when Trinidad were defeated 3-0 by the USA in their World Cup qualifying clash.
Birchall was brought up in the Stone area and still owns a house in the North Staffordshire area. He made nearly 100 appearances for Vale between 2001 and 2006 and scored nine goals.
His agent, Darren Long, of Hanley-based legal firm Beswicks, said: "The negotiations are still at an early stage, but Galaxy have been impressed with Chris after watching him play for Trinidad and they have been tracking him for a while.
"It is something Chris will look at and he knows more than most about the MLS because of the amount of time he spends with Trinidad.
"Galaxy have also put one of their six 'discoveries' on Chris, which they wouldn't do for the sake of it.
"Each MLS side gets six discoveries and it means that no other team in the league can touch those players."
Beswicks have already negotiated deals with USA-based clubs for former Stoke strikers Gifton Noel-Williams and Ade Akinbiyi.
Noel-Williams has switched to Stoke's sister club Austin Aztex, managed by former Potters striker Adrian Heath, while Akinbiyi has joined Houston Dynamo.
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