MLS, Revs Won't Let Twellman Go to England

Coca-Cola Championship club Preston North End put up a $1.5 million transfer offer last week for New England Revolution striker Taylor Twellman. After the initial deal was rejected, Preston increased the transfer fee to $2.5 million.

Twellman wants to go. However, the second deal was also rejected, and when Twellman started asking who rejected the deal, he got the run-around.

"When I ask (Major League Soccer), they say the Revs rejected it. When I ask the Revs, they said it was MLS. Look, you're not going to get more than that for a guy like me, who is not always with the national team. It's a good offer."

MLS -- the soccer equivalent of your local cable company. If Twellman walked into MLS offices and starting whacking stuff with a hammer, we wouldn't blame him

This begs the question: who rejected the offer and why?

Did the Revolution say no? They're not using their Designated Player spot. Did they not think they could get a quality striker to replace Twellman for $2.5 million? Or does MLS' bizarre (and somewhat communist) policy of players being signed to the league rather than the team prevent the Revs from seeing any of that money?

And why would MLS say no? Are they afraid of losing all that marketing muscle -- something MLS tends to care about more than the game itself -- if Twellman leaves? They let Freddy Adu go to Benfica for less money, but that was an offer from a top-flight Portuguese club. Is a relegation-threatened second-division club in England just not sexy enough for them? If this were Fulham or Wigan making the offer, would they let Twellman go?

Whatever the reason, the league has clearly pissed off one of its best strikers.

"I'm everywhere from confused to mad because I don't know where we are on this. I have always been told that there is no international interest out there for me, but if there were, they would consider it. So it's at the point where I feel like they've gotta sell me or compensate me, whether it's with money or more guaranteed years. I don't have to make big Designated Player money. I just want something to happen."

Y'know, I have my doubts that MLS could give a toss about what Taylor Twellman wants.