Americans Abroad

Bastia completes transfer from MLS for Vanney who signs four-year deal.

CORSICA, France (Tuesday, March 12, 2002) -- Bastia of France’s Le Championnat, or first division, has exercised its option to acquire former Los Angeles Galaxy defender Greg Vanney from Major League Soccer, according media reports and the team’s web site.

MLS, which owns the contracts of all the players on its 10 teams, loaned Vanney in December to Bastia until the end of the French season in May. MLS also agreed to a transfer option, said to be in the neighborhood of $800,000, with Bastia having until March 15 to fully acquire the player. That option was exercised today.

According to the press reports, Vanney signed a four-year contract, but terms were not announced.

Vanney, 28, has played well as the starting left defender for Bastia (9-15-4, 31 points) which is currently tied for 12th place in the 18-team league. He takes both corner kicks and free kicks from his side of the field and the home crowds have taken a liking to him, so his acquisition will be well received.

Bastia is headquartered on this island in the Mediterranean Sea and is considered one of the most attractive French clubs to play for.

Vanney was an original member of the Galaxy. Playing in all six seasons of MLS, he started 158 of the 168 regular-season games in which he appeared, scoring 21 goals and adding 19 assists.

He has made 15 appearances for the United States national team, the last in November, and has, at best, an outside chance to be on coach Bruce Arena’s final roster for 2002 World Cup which runs from May 31 to June 30 in South Korea and Japan. He could be selected to play in the U.S. friendly against Germany March 27 in Rostock, Germany, and another against Ireland in Dublin April 17.

Senior correspondent Robert Wagman can be e-mailed at bobwagman@soccertimes.com.