HOUSTON – Geoff Cameron inched closer to a career shift on Tuesday when he agreed to personal terms with English Premier League side Stoke City, according to Houston Dynamo president Chris Canetti.
Terms of the deal have not been disclosed as per MLS policy, but Cameron is expected to meet up with the club in Orlando, where they are setting up camp for their US tour. The deal leaves only Cameron’s work permit as the final hurdle to him realizing his EPL dream.
“It’s our understanding through our communication with Stoke is that they’ve agreed to personal terms,” Chris Canetti told MLSsoccer.com on Wednesday. “The next step in the process is him applying for his work permit.”
Cameron’s work permit appeal hearing is set for Aug. 3, according to his agent John Davies. The US national teamer’s initial application was denied, as expected, considering he does not meet the main criteria of having featured in 75 percent of official FIFA matches in the past two years.
Davies, however, said he is confident that Cameron will be able to make a good case for winning his appeal.
“We are very confident and have a package put together and thing this will be done pretty good,” Davies told MLSsoccer.com Wednesday morning. “It’s not really my side to talk about but we are very, very confident.”
Davies’ optimism is likely a result of some of the recent success of US internationals and former MLSers Robbie Rogers (Leeds United) and Tim Ream (Bolton), players in similar positions who won appeals and are now plying their trade in the England.
With Cameron’s deal close the Dynamo can start to look to find a replacement. The date of the appeal will push Houston past the MLS deadline to transfer players under contract on July 27, but the club will still be able to bring in players who are out of contract until August 31 or make trades within the league.
A notable scenario mentioned in recent reports is the return of former Dynamo and US international Ricardo Clark, who was released by Eintracht Frankfurt last week and spent four years in Houston and helped the franchise win their first two MLS Cups in 2006 and 2007.
Darrell Lovell covers the Houston Dynamo for MLSsoccer.com.
