USA international Brandon Vazquez was a target for Leeds United but could now replace the Premier League-linked Marcus Thuram at Borussia Monchengladbach.
That is according to Sky Deutschland, who claim that Gladbach’s sporting director Roland Virkus was in attendance as Vazquez scored the only goal of the game during FC Cincinnatti’s 1-0 win over Nashville on Sunday.
That was Vazquez’s first goal of the new MLS season, at the fifth attempt; a man who scored 20 times while setting up eight more in 2022 starting the new campaign at a much slower pace.
Leeds United, per CBS Sports, had watched Vazquez closely last year. The sacking of Jesse Marsch could draw a line under any hopes the striker may have harboured of securing a move to Elland Road, however, Ben Jacobs reporting that Leeds’ Wisconsin-born former coach was the driving force behind the club’s interest in the twice-capped USA international.
Leeds target Brandon Vazquez could now move to the Bundesliga
But while the Elland Road ship appears to have sailed, Cincinnatti coach Pat Noonan still expects Vazquez to be boarding a flight across the Atlantic sooner rather than later.
“I would say that if he continues on this path, he’s going to be gone,” Noonan tells Goal. “That’s my guess. Do we want to lose him? No.
“But the reality is, he’s going to be a hot commodity. I don’t expect he’s going to be a part of this group if he continues (at last season’s rate).”
The Bundesliga has a proud tradition of offering the most exciting North American talent a route into European football. And Vazquez could soon be following in the footsteps of Alphonso Davies, Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie and Gio Reyna.
Borussia Monchengladbach will lose top scorer Marcus Thuram when his contract expires in July. Vazquez is a potential replacement, talks between Gladbach and Cincinatti now underway.
“He’s grown into this spectacular goalscorer,” USA team-mate Paul Arriola says of Vazquez. “I think 100 percent he deserves a chance (at international level).
“When you look at his movements and you look at the things he’s doing, he’s a real, traditional 9. He’s good at holding the ball up, he still makes runs. He’s super dangerous in the box with his feet, with his head. I’m looking at highlights every single week and this guy is scoring one or two goals, assists.
“He’s on fire.”
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