Onyewu is second American in talks with Fulham

LONDON (AP) _ United States defender Oguchi Onyewu is reportedly close to a move to Premier League club Fulham. <br/><br/>Sky Sports reported on its Web site Wednesday that Onyewu arrived at Craven Cottage

Wednesday, January 3rd 2007, 8:46 am

By: News On 6

LONDON (AP) _ United States defender Oguchi Onyewu is reportedly close to a move to Premier League club Fulham.

Sky Sports reported on its Web site Wednesday that Onyewu arrived at Craven Cottage for a medical, a day after New England Revolution midfielder Clint Dempsey was reported to be awaiting a work permit to join the London club.

Eurosport.com said the deal was worth 1 million pounds (euro1.48 million; US$1.96 million).

Onyewu's club Standard Liege left for a training camp in Portugal on Tuesday, but the 24-year-old defender did not travel with the team.

``I know nothing (about his whereabouts). But I don't think he'll be joining us in training camp,'' Standard Liege coach Michel Preud'homme was quoted as saying by Le Soir newspaper.

Onyewu saw a move to Middlesbrough fail to materialize in September after he reportedly turned down an offer because some details in the contract were not agreed upon.

Subsequently, Onyewu's contract contained a clause which allowed the central defender to leave the club if an offer materialized.

``I know the agreement we made with (Onyewu) in August when I was technical director,'' Preud'homme told La Dernier Heure daily. ``For me it is certain that he played his last game for Standard against Moeskroen back in December.''

La Dernier Heure said Onyewu had left for Italy, where he was to meet with AC Milan officials to discuss a possible transfer to the Italian powerhouse.

Onyewu has scored one goal in 12 international appearances for the U.S., including all three World Cup group qualifying games in June.

On Tuesday, Major League Soccer confirmed it agreed to send U.S. Player of the Year Dempsey to Fulham on the condition he could obtain a British work permit.

A person familiar with the agreement told The Associated Press the deal could be worth up to US$4 million (euro3 million).

Dempsey and Onyewu would join fellow U.S. internationals Carlos Bocanegra and Brian McBride at 12th-placed Fulham after the pair arrived at Craven Cottage in January 2004.