Jordan Morris’s loan transfer to Swansea City appears to be a matter of if and not when.
The fact that Morris was excused from the United States Men’s National Team’s January camp on Wednesday was a big sign that his overseas move was imminent, and the Swansea coach went even further on Thursday.
“It is not yet quite done but in the process of being done”, director Steve Cooper said of the proposed six-month loan agreement. “It is taking a little longer than we would have liked, mainly because of the logistics more than anything else. When that is done, we will be really happy.
“I’m always a little cautious, because until a player signs and you get them to practice and play, it’s not done and dusted off. But it will be a good thing if we can do it. “
Morris, the 26-year-old Seattle Sounders star, has spent his entire professional career in MLS, choosing his home club over a possible transfer to Werder Bremen before his professional debut in 2016. In four full seasons with Seattle (he missed 2018 season due to an ACL tear), Morris has 35 goals and 20 assists in 105 regular-season games, with six more goals and three assists in 16 playoff games. He’s helped Seattle win the MLS Cup in each of the seasons he’s been active, with the Sounders winning two of the four finals they’ve reached.
To that end, there isn’t much more to accomplish in MLS, and with the start of this season not set in stone due to the talks between the league and the players’ association, kicking the tires on a foreign mandate would be both a new challenge and a way to play. Swansea is set to be promoted from the second tier England Championship, and if Morris were to take his step, which was first reported by Athleticism, permanent, he could potentially end up in the Premier League next season.
He might not be the only one joining Swansea from MLS, with Yahoo Sports reports USA and DC United winger Paul Arriola could also sign with the club on loan on Wednesday. DC and Swansea have a common owner in Jason Levien.
Both players look to strengthen their place in Gregg Berhalter’s first rotation, with the American men having the final four in the Concacaf Nations League, the Gold Cup and World Cup 2022 all qualifying on a busy schedule this year. And with more young stars are progressing in some of the best European clubs, the seat competition is fierce.
