Still no Palmer-Brown to Juventus deal

One of the slowest transfers to ever occur, if it ever occurs is the Erik Palmer-Brown to Juventus transfer. There have been reports and rumors of it happening for a year or more but Sporting Kansas City CEO Robb Heineman made it seem imminent back in March. At that time he said it was 80-20 that it would happen.

While a deal could have been struck, Palmer-Brown could not have actually been transferred then. Under FIFA rules, article 19 states: International transfers of players are only permitted if the player is over the age of 18.

The three exceptions are:

a) The player's parents move to the country in which the new club is located for reasons not linked to football. (Could have happened but might have been obvious)

b) The transfer takes place within the territory of the European Union (EU) or European Economic Area (EEA) and the player is aged between 16 and 18. (Nope)

c) The player lives no further than 50km from a national border and the club with which the player wishes to be registered in the neighboring association is also within 50km of that border. (Juventus is not in Kansas)

So today Palmer-Brown turned eighteen. So could it be happy birthday Erik, here is your ticket to Italy?

According to Sporting KC manager Peter Vermes, "Not yet, no."

There has been no further movement on the transfer recently. "I think because it is outside their window over there, because of the birthdate, that is a big reason," explained Vermes.

The transfer windows for clubs in Italy is the beginning of June through the end of August and the month of January so expect news (rumors) to heat back up again in a couple months.

So no big influx of cash expected from Italy soon. Meanwhile Palmer-Brown is up with the U20's in their preparation for the U20 World Cup starting May 30^th in New Zealand.

Happy Birthday EPB!