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Senior Writer- • Joined ESPN in 2011
• Covered two Olympics, a pair of Rugby World Cups and two British & Irish Lions tours
• Previously rugby editor, and became senior writer in 2018
Bayern Munich are keen to sign American defender Justin Che on a permanent deal but are still working on a transfer fee with FC Dallas, sources have told ESPN.
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Che, 17, is currently on loan with Bayern Munich II, having originally joined the club on trial back in January as part of the Bayern Munich-FC Dallas partnership. Che was one of six to be invited to train with the Bundesliga champions, and has impressed both for club and country, with Che named in the United States men's national team squad on Thursday.
Bayern still need to work on a deal with Dallas, with the Major League Soccer side keen for a transfer fee in the region of $3 million, sources have told ESPN. There was no original option to buy in the loan deal.
"We hoped to give him a platform in our under-19, but the season never continued," Bayern's academy director Jochen Sauer told ESPN. "So, he played for our under-23 team.
"We are in talks now about what can happen in the summer. The player would like to stay, and we would like to keep him."
If Che signs a permanent deal with Bayern, he will follow in the footsteps of Chris Richards in making the switch from Dallas to the Bundesliga champions. Richards joined Bayern for a 10-day training spell in April 2018, and impressed enough to earn a full-time deal. He finished this season on loan at fellow German top-flight side Hoffenheim.
Dallas have a fine record of producing young talent with Reggie Cannon at Boavista, Bryan Reynolds at AS Roma, and Weston McKennie at Juventus, as well as Richards.
Che has made seven appearances for Bayern's reserves and has caught the eye of USMNT manager Gregg Berhalter. Despite aged just 17 years old, Che was included in the senior squad for their May 30 friendly against Switzerland.
