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 on 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 the 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."
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.
The Springfield, N.J.,native on Thursday played his final match for the Rangers, which won the Scottish Premier League title in Reyna's first two seasons. He helped the Glasgow club extend its stay in Europe past Christmas for the first time in
nine seasons with a 4-3 triumph in a penalty shootout at Paris St Germain in their UEFA Cup third-round clash.
Nicknamed "Captain America," Reyna had become a fixture in the starting 11 at Ibrox. His creativity and versatility made Reyna a valuable contributor at one of the world's 20 richest clubs.
