SUNDERLAND, England, Dec. 7 (UPI) -- Claudio Reyna, the captain and midfield general of the World Cup-bound United States national team, signed with Sunderland of the English Premier League Friday for a club-record transfer fee of $6.44 million.
Reyna, 28, inked a five-year contract with the Wearsiders after spending the past 2 1/2 seasons with Rangers. The Scottish Premier League giant, which paid VfL Wolfsburg of Germany about $1.5 million for the American in March 1999, cashed in on Reyna after he turned down its offer of a new contract.
"It's no secret that I wanted to play in the Premiership," Reyna said on Sunderland's official website. "This is arguably the best league in the world and to play in the Premiership is a dream for any player."
"In a year's time, he would have been out of contract," Rangers coach Dick Advocaat said. "Football-wise it is not good, but we will try to find another player now."
Reyna is expected to make his Premier League debut on Sunday, when Sunderland hosts Chelsea. The Wearsiders, who finished seventh in the Premier League a year ago, currently occupy 13th place in the 20-team Premiership.
Reyna shattered the record transfer fee for an American player. Midfielder Eddie Lewis cost English club Fulham $1.9 million in March 2000, when he moved from MLS' San Jose Earthquakes. Liverpool paid $1.6 million for goalkeeper Brad Friedel near the end of 1997, when he departed MLS' Columbus Crew.
