In an unprecedented development, English football teams are actually offering money to take on a U.S. player. Fulham is keen on matching Queens Park Rangers in their bid for Bolton's defender, Tim Ream, at £1.4 million.Many are saying that QPR's initial offer of £1 million for Ream, who has twice earned Bolton's player of the year award, is paltry when compared to those for top players on other teams. The move to either QPR or Fulham would mean a step up from Bolton's 18th-place finish. But with Fulham sitting a mere notch up from Bolton at 17th, QPR, who were only just relegated from the English Premier League, would seem the more attractive option.Sure, you could write it off as a squabble between three teams in the second-tier Championship, but this is about as good as it gets for a U.S. national in England as of late. Barring goalies.In a country where Geoff Cameron is the only starting player not wearing gloves, Ream's move to a starting role for a team that could advance just might make the "small" £1.4 million worth it.Who knows? Maybe he'll get some much needed time under fickle Jurgen Klinsmann.UPDATE:It seems that QPR has snagged Tim Ream, after upping the ante to what could go as high as £2m, but currently reported at £1.75m.
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This is after Bolton had rejected previous bids that were too low at £1m.Now double your money and make it stack."It is a blow," Manager Neil Lennon told the Bolton News. "He's a good player but he's a player whose loss we can hopefully cope with, and it will give me the opportunity to bring one or two other players in."