Anderlecht midfielder Sacha Kljestan has become just the fifth American Abroad to celebrate consecutive top flight league crowns in Europe, going the distance as the 10-man hosts hung on for a 1-1 draw with chasers Zulte Waregem.So... who can name the other four?- Greg Seltzer
For the second straight year, Sacha Kljestan and RSC Anderlecht are champions of Belgium.
Kljestan and Anderlecht successfully defended their title on Sunday with a 1-1 draw against second-place Zulte-Waregem in their season finale. Kljestan missed on a chance that would have given Anderlecht the win but the post-game scenes were festive ones all the same for the midfielder and his teammates, as they secured the necessary result that allowed them to hoist the Pro League trophy for the 32nd time in the club's history.
RSC Anderlecht took a giant step towards repeating as Pro League champions on Thursday with a 4-2 victory over Lokeren and Sacha Kljestan was the player who helped get things started for his club.
Kljestan scored the opener in Anderlecht's road win over Lokeren, heading the ball home from close range to end a well-worked set piece in the 25th minute.
Repeating as champions is never an easy task, but Sacha Kljestan and RSC Anderlecht are making it look like it is.
Kljestan and red-hot Anderlecht are currently in first place in the Jupiler Pro League and they can add to their healthy eight-point lead when they visit Club Brugge on Sunday.
The Anderlecht and Senegal defender Cheikhou Kouyate was extremely impressive during the Olympics last year, and there were many rumours saying that Arsenal and Man City, amongst others, were keen to bring him to the Premiership.
Now the 6ft 4in centre-back has now revealed that Arsene Wenger was indeed interested, but problems over getting a work permit stopped the discussions going any further.
There are two transfer rumours involving Arsenal and possible summer transfer targets to look at, but neither one involves players that will get the average Gooner very excited. One involves the familiar name of Adrian Lopez, the Spanish forward who plays for Atletico Madrid. Arsenal were heavily linked with this player last summer and in January, and it seems like his club are prepared to sell.
This is a transfer rumour designed to have most Arsenal fans tearing their hair out in frustration, Whereas most Gooners want to say some quality and experienced new signings all over the pitch in the summer, the latest player to be linked with a move to the Emirates is the 18-year old Jordan Lukaku.
The Argentinean defensive midfielder has been linked with a move to Arsenal, both in this transfer window and in January, along with some other clubs. The 26-year old has played for Anderlecht since 2006 and he decided to stay at the club to help them try to progress in the champions league, but the campaign went badly and the Belgian club failed to even get into the Europa league.
There is news that Arsenal are now after a potential Newcastle target - Lucas Biglia of Anderlecht who has played 8 times for the full Argentine side. Lucas Biglia Anderlecht's defensive midfielder Newcastle have been linked with this player a few times in the last month or so, but we have a hard [.
Almost everyone agrees that Arsenal need some more backbone at the heart of the midfield. The sale of Alex Song to Barcelona and the recurring injury problems of Abou Diaby means that there is often too much flair and not enough bite in the Gunners central area and it has cost us a few times this season.
Liverpool target Lucas Biglia has been told he can leave Anderlecht if they offer £8.35m. The Argentine midfielder has long been an Anfield target and was linked with Arsenal in the summer. And Anderlecht have decided that the 26-year-old can leave, but only if they receive an offer of €10.
There is news in the Daily Express today that an English club has bid for 27 year-old Anderlecht striker Dieumerci Mbokani, and while we'd be surprised if it was Newcastle you just never know. Dieumerci Mbokani Anderlecht's 27 year-old striker Newcastle are linked because we need at least one new striker in the [.
Liverpool one-season wonder Milan Jovanovic was shown a red card in Anderlecht's 2-2 draw against Standard Liege for a laughable bit of revenge. After being knocked off the ball and into an advertising board by Daniel Opare, Jovanovic administered a shoulder barge of his own on the unsuspecting Opare.
Well, it's official: Andy Najar is wearing the purple of RSC Anderlecht on a permanent basis. D.C. United announced this afternoon that the Honduran has been sold from one capital club to another. As per tradition (and league policy), details of the deal have not been disclosed, but I imagine we'll hear rumors and reports trickling out soon enough.
The on-again, off-again, transfer of Honduran national teamer and D.C. United standout Andy Najar is back on again, with D.C. United and Belgian club Anderlecht agreeing on a transfer for the former MLS Rookie of the Year.
Sources with knowledge of the deal have confirmed to SBI that D.
When I went to bed last night, after that dreadful game between the United States and Canada, the only word on Andy Najar was that D.C. United had rejected another offer from Anderlecht and that Najar would be coming back to the United States on Thursday. However, if a story from the Belgian site DH.
In what is being described as a surprising move in the Honduran press, Andy Najar has received a call-up to their National Team's game against the United States on February 6. This will be both team's first game of the Hexagonal, the final round of Concacaf qualifying for the 2014 World Cup. Should Najar make the field, this would be his first appearance in a World Cup qualifier, making it likely that he is being groomed for a possible role in the rest of qualification and the World Cup itself.
Greg Seltzer continues to earn his reputation as one of the best reporters involved with American soccer. He's got the latest update on what I think we can officially start calling the Andy Najar Transfer Saga:
I have now confirmed that Anderlecht did make an offer for Andy Najar, which was rejected by D.
News reports out of Honduras, especially when related to D.C. United players or prospects, always have to be taken with a grain of salt. So when a report came out of Honduras today that said that Anderlecht would be offering 6 million euros, around $8 million, I took it as a rumor in the wind.
But now Greg Seltzer, who has one of the best network of sources in the business, is reporting that he has heard the same, that Anderlecht will be putting an offer on the table for Najar for approximately $8 million.
A report has surfaced in Honduras claiming Anderlecht have tabled an offer for D.C. United loan item Andy Najar. For what it's worth, I heard the same thing for roughly the same amount yesterday and have just not been able to confirm it yet. I'll try again tomorrow.- Greg Seltzer
Washington, D.C. (January 7, 2013) – D.C. United today announced that Andy Najar is now on loan with R.S.C. Anderlecht for the month of January, and will be available for selection during the timeframe. The Honduran international previously trained with the Belgian side during the month of December 2012.
Andy Najar isn't ready to make a transfer move to Europe just yet, but he will be getting a taste of life overseas as he readies for a short loan move.
D.C. United is set to loan Najar to Belgian champions Anderlecht on a short-term loan that will run through the month of January, the club announced on Monday.
The Andy Najar in Belgium story continues to cruise along, with United States National Team player Sacha Kljestan talking to the Belgian press about Najar. In particular, Kljestan remembers Najar scoring against Chivas USA in his last game before coming to Anderlecht. Ever since that goal, in Najar's first season, Kljestan has kept tabs on him, knowing that he would be great someday.
When we last left the official statements of D.C. United as to the length of Andy Najar's training in Belgium, club general manager Dave Kasper said that Najar would be there until the end of December. Kasper also admitted that there had been some attempts made to secure a loan for Najar to R.S.C.
You heard about it here first, and today it was confirmed in a news release by D.C. United. 19-year old star Andy Najar will be training with Belgium's famed Anderlecht this offseason.
The announcement today though implies that Najar will only be training with the team through the end of this month, which would seem to conflict with the earlier reports that Najar would also be missing Honduras' appearance in the Copa Centroamericana in January.
Andy Najar has become the latest MLS player to land a training stint overseas.
D.C. United announced Friday that Najar is currently training with Belgian club RSC Anderlecht through the end of 2012. Najar had recently been rumored to be joining the club for a training stint, but United had not addressed them until now.
The Honduran National Team coach says that Andy Najar will not be called in for the Copa Centroamericana due to the fact that he will be with Anderlecht.
Luis Fernando Suarez, head coach of the Honduran National Team, has told Honduran press that Andy Najar will not be on the team that is competing in the Copa Centroamericana due to the fact that Suarez does not want to interfere with Najar's time with Anderlecht.
Jordan Lukaku of Anderlecht (Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images)
ESPN FC recently reported that AC Milan are interested in signing RSC Anderlecht left-back Jordan Lukaku. Not as famous as his brother Romelu- Jordan Lukaku recently piqued Milan CEO Adriano Galliani's interest and has now become a transfer target for the Rossoneri.
Liverpool could pick up Argentine playmaker Lucas Biglia for a bargain £4.5m in the summer. Belgian champions Anderlecht are willing to let the 27-year-old go for around half his value after he fell out of favour. And Brendan Rodgers is keeping a close eye on the situation, according to The Sun on Sunday.
The 2013 Africa Cup of Nations got underway on Saturday, and it took 210 minutes and two days of football before the first goal of the tournament was scored in the match between hotly tipped Ghana and DR Congo.
The Leopards earned a surprise 2-2 draw against the Black Stars in Port Elizabeth, thanks to a 68th-minute penalty from Anderlecht striker Dieumerci Mbokani.
Anderlecht got the job done up in Brussels last night as they came away with a 1-0 victory over Gent in Belgian Cup action thanks to Tom De Sutter's strike.
Returning from the winter break, Sacha Kljestan and Anderlecht will welcome KAA Gent to Brussels for the second leg of this Belgian Cup quarter final match-up.
