Umeå IK’s general manager Britta Åkerlund today told that the club doesn’t have the means necessary to give Australian star striker Lisa De Vanna a competitive offer.
De Vanna has been Umeå’s top choice to replace Marta, who made an agreement with Los Angeles Sol in the new American league Women’s Porfessional Soccer early in January. Umeå has had positive talks with De Vanna and her agent Greg Erskine, but the financial part of the deal has been hard to solve. The financial situation for Umeå has been strained recently and Åkerlund has declared that a deal cannot be financed within the club’s budget. She has been in contact with several sponsors, that were willing to contribute to a deal with Marta, but there has been much less interest in sponsoring Marta’s successor.
Umeå’s decision to give up their attempt to get Lisa De Vanna probably takes her to the American club Washington Freedom, which also is in negotiations with the Australian. De Vanna played for AIK in the Swedish league last season before joining Perth Glory in the Australian W-league during the short October to January season.
Even if Åkerlund has resigned about the possibilities to sign Lisa De Vanna, she doesn’t rule out that Umeå will find another player to sign.
Västerbottens Folkblad: UIK har inte råd med de Vanna
14. February 2009 at 12:16 am
Speaking of AIK, did Anne Mäkinen have any interest in returning to the states for the WPS at some point (maybe after the Euros)? She had said once she would probably end up here (USA).
14. February 2009 at 9:11 pm
I haven’t heard anything from or about Mäkinen in relation to WPS. She is on her second year of a 2+1 years contract with AIK, so WPS hasn’t been an option for 2009.