Roma in Talks with Michael Bradley

It appears Roma's first American signing will not be Giuseppe Rossi or Clint Dempsey, as various media outlets are reporting the Chievo Midfielder might be a mere 24 hours away from signing, with Roma fending off Palermo, Juventus and Milan. That same story also indicates there is a €5M deal in place for Corinthians defender Leandro Castan, so two birds, one stone, I suppose.

The reports indicate Bradley would come at a cost of €3.5M, though some reports say it could be as low as €2M, with Leandro Greco going the other way, with an official announcement coming as soon as tomorrow.

So who is Michael Bradley ?

For the visuals, I'll refer you to this fanpost, which has some excellent highlights and profiles of the American midfielder.

Bradley, 24, son of former U.S. and current Egyptian National team headman Bob Bradley, has had to fight to shed claims of nepotism his entire career, not too mention the stigma that comes with being an American outfield player in Europe.

Bradley, who has made stops in Borrussia Monchengladbach, Aston Villa, and most recently Chievo, has established himself as a center piece of Jurgen Klinsmann's current U.S. squad, thus erasing any lingering claims of familial favoritism.

While not as glamorous or well known as fellow Americans Landon Donovan or Clint Dempsey, Bradley is a tireless worker, a fierce tackler and, being a coaches son, has an impressive knowledge of the game, he's also scored 10 times in 69 caps, so he can provide the occasional goal too.

At a smaller club, Bradley's improving offensive repertoire could see him fill the role of play maker. At Roma, its more likely that, at least in the short term, he'll fill the role vacated by Fernando Gago.

More news when it becomes official, but this potential signing is noteworthy, not only because he would be the first Yankee signed by the American owners, but because he is a young, hardworking and talented player, not a superstar by any means, but a smart, solid midfielder who is just starting to blossom.