Villarreal appears set to complete an 8 million Euro transfer for Jonathan De Guzman from his current side Mallorca.
The Dutch-Canadian midfielder has been in talks to join Villarreal for weeks now but had been waiting to see if the club could qualify for Champions League - something that would free up more capital for the La Liga side to sign him, as well as provide a greater profile for the 23-year-old.
Mallorca had held firm with their transfer request of 8 million Euros, while Villarreal had said to only be interested in paying 6 million Euro.
With Villarreal going through yesterday, it all but clears the way for JDG2 to make his move.
What does this mean for Canadians?
[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]Well, if there were any left in the 'he could still return home one day' camp, for them it means JDG2 will now be playing for a side very much on the radar of the Dutch national team. High level club play or Champions League participation are big on the Dutch per-requisites list. It still doesn't guarantee him a spot, but the step up will once again guarantee him a look.
For the rest of us, it doesn't mean a whole lot. At tomorrow's press conference, when Canadian national team head coach Stephen Hart talks about his selections for this round of World Cup qualifying, someone will inevitably ask the question: 'What's the latest on Jonathon De Guzman?'
Hart's answer will be much the same as it always is: 'We're working on it, we're keeping the door open, we're hopeful.'
It's a rehearsed, lip service more than anything. If Hart was prone to shooting off, I'm sure he would have said long ago: 'Guys, he's gone, lets move on.'
That time has probably come and gone long ago, but, like it or not, until he's officially capped, it's a question that is going to continue to get raised.