Findley, Jones find new homes, more Americans Abroad

On this week's episode of "The Transfer Season," one American gets his final clearance to go overseas, one gets freed from his manager's doghouse and a few

On this week's episode of "The Transfer Season," one American gets his final clearance to go overseas, one gets freed from his manager's doghouse and a few more get their names on the transaction ticker.

Former Real Salt Lake striker Robbie Findley is the one heading out of the country after being granted a United Kingdom work permit. This development clears the way for him to join England League Championship side Nottingham Forest, with whom he agreed on a 2 1/2-year deal late last month.

Jermaine Jones received his wish to get out of Schalke and be far from the wrath of coach Felix Magath, as Blackburn stepped up to acquire the United States national team striker on loan through the end of the season. Magath and Jones clashed to the point that Jones, one of the premier players at his position in the Bundesliga, had been demoted to train with the Schalke reserves weeks prior to the league's winter break. Jones hasn't featured in a match since Nov. 27, but he should be able to step in immediately and start for manager Steve Kean's club, which is currently 11th in the Premier League table but just three points out of contention for a berth in the UEFA Europa League.

Elsewhere, forward Mike Grella is on the cusp of getting another loan from Leeds United; goalkeeper Dominic Cervi (currently with the U.S. national team) had his loan to Dundee FC expire without him playing a minute for the club; veteran striker Kenny Cooper officially left TSV 1860 Munich to re-join Major League Soccer; 25-year-old attacker Jemal Johnson had his contract with English League One side Milton Keynes Dons terminated; U.S. Under-20 winger Josh Gatt signed with Molde FK in Norway's top flight; and another U-20 standout, budding center back Gale Agbossoumonde, is on trial with Djugardens IF in Sweden with hopes of securing a contract.

As for the Americans that played this past week, a few turned in notable performances. Brad Guzan notched his first clean sheet at Hull City; Jonathan Bornstein debuted for his new club in Mexico; Ricardo Clark put in a rare 90-minute shift -- at center back, no less -- for Eintracht Frankfurt; and Maurice Edu got back on the scoresheet for Rangers with a top-class finish that any striker would love to boast in his arsenal, let alone a defensive midfielder. Here is how the active Americans abroad fared this past week (statistics encompass all competitions):

Premier League

Clint Dempsey, M/F, Fulham -- Started, played 90 minutes and assisted on Andrew Johnson's late equalizer in Fulham's 1-1 draw with Wigan Athletic on Saturday. SEASON: 25 games, 22 starts, 7 goals

Brad Friedel, GK, Aston Villa -- Started, played 90 minutes and made two saves in Villa's 1-1 draw with Birmingham on Sunday. SEASON: 24 games, 24 starts, 76 saves, 41 goals allowed, 4 clean sheets

Marcus Hahnemann, GK, Wolverhampton -- In the 18, did not play in Wolves' 4-3 loss to Manchester City on Saturday. SEASON: 15 games, 15 starts, 48 saves, 27 goals allowed

Stuart Holden, M, Bolton -- Started, played 84 minutes in Bolton's 2-0 loss to Stoke City on Saturday. Holden, who exited with a minor ankle injury, hadn't played since Dec. 29, when he picked up a thigh injury against Chelsea. SEASON: 19 games, 18 starts, 2 goals

Tim Howard, GK, Everton -- Started, played 90 minutes and made nine saves in Everton's 2-2 draw with Liverpool on Sunday. SEASON: 23 games, 23 starts, 62 saves, 28 goals allowed, 5 clean sheets

Eddie Johnson, F, Fulham -- Not in the 18 for Fulham's 1-1 draw with Wigan Athletic on Saturday. SEASON: 12 games, 1 start

Eric Lichaj, D, Aston Villa -- Not in the 18 for Villa's 1-1 draw with Birmingham on Sunday. SEASON: 8 games, 6 starts

Jonathan Spector, M/D, West Ham -- Started, played 90 minutes and assisted on the game-winning goal in West Ham's 2-1 victory over Birmingham in the first leg of their Carling Cup semifinal tie on Tuesday. Spector also started and played 90 minutes in West Ham's 3-0 loss to Arsenal in league play on Saturday. SEASON: 10 games, 9 starts, 3 goals

Championship

Conor Doyle, F, Derby County -- In the 18, did not play in Derby County's 3-0 loss to Watford on Saturday. SEASON: 11 games, 4 starts

Robbie Findley, F, Nottingham Forest -- Findley was granted a UK work permit and will be joining Nottingham Forest as soon as the remaining necessary paperwork is completed. Findley, who was selected by the Portland Timbers in the MLS Expansion Draft in the off-chance that he would not be cleared to play overseas, signed a deal with Nottingham Forest at the end of December that will keep him with the club through the end of the 2012-2013 season. SEASON: 0 games

Mike Grella, F, Leeds United -- Grella's loan with Carlisle United expired, and he returned to Leeds, where he played with the reserves during the week and scored a goal against Scunthorpe United. Leeds manager Simon Grayson is on the record as saying that it's a matter of time until Grella is loaned out again. "There's no point in him being here if he isn't going to feature at this moment in time, but he's a good player and a good goal scorer, and he's looked sharp since he came back," Grayson said on Leeds' website. "The loan spell has obviously done him good, but at the same time I don't want him not playing." SEASON: 12 games, 7 starts, 3 goals

Brad Guzan, GK, Hull City -- Started, played 90 minutes, made three saves and earned his first clean sheet of the season in Hull City's 2-0 victory over Barnsley on Saturday. SEASON: 6 games, 6 starts, 27 saves, 8 goals allowed, 1 clean sheet

Zak Whitbread, D, Norwich City -- Started, played 90 minutes in Norwich City's 1-1 draw with Cardiff City on Saturday. SEASON: 4 games, 3 starts

League One

Jemal Johnson, M, Milton Keynes Dons -- Not in the 18 for Milton Keynes Dons' 2-0 victory over Tranmere Rovers on Saturday. Johnson and the club agreed to terminate his contract on Friday, making him a free agent. SEASON: 16 games, 5 starts, 1 goal

Anton Peterlin, M, Plymouth Argyle -- In the 18, did not play in Plymouth Argyle's 3-2 loss to Huddersfield Town on Tuesday. Peterlin was also in the 18 but did not play in Plymouth Argyle's 1-0 loss to Oldham Athletic on Saturday. SEASON: 5 games, 4 starts

Frank Simek, D, Carlisle United -- Started, played 90 minutes in Carlisle's 4-0 victory over Bristol Rovers on Saturday. SEASON: 27 games, 27 starts

La Liga

Jozy Altidore, F, Villarreal -- In the 18, did not play in Villarreal's 3-3 draw with Sevilla in the first leg of their Copa del Rey quarterfinal tie on Wednesday. Altidore was also in the 18 but did not play in Villarreal's 4-2 victory over Osasuna in league play on Saturday. SEASON: 12 games, 6 starts, 2 goals

Bundesliga

DaMarcus Beasley, M, Hannover 96 -- Not in the 18 for Hannover's 3-0 victory over Eintracht Frankfurt on Sunday. SEASON: 4 games

Michael Bradley, M, Borussia Monchengladbach -- In the 18, came on as a 71st-minute substitute in Monchengladbach's 1-0 victory over Nurnberg on Saturday. It was the first time all season that Bradley played but did not start. SEASON: 21 games, 20 starts, 4 goals

Steve Cherundolo, D, Hannover 96 -- Started, played 90 minutes in Hannover's 3-0 victory over Eintracht Frankfurt on Sunday. SEASON: 18 games, 18 starts

Ricardo Clark, M, Eintracht Frankfurt -- Started, played 90 minutes at center back in Frankfurt's 3-0 loss to Hannover 96 on Sunday. SEASON: 6 games, 3 starts

Jermaine Jones, M, FC Schalke 04 -- Not in the 18 for Schalke's 1-0 loss to Hamburg SV on Saturday. Jones, who fell completely off Schalke manager Felix Magath's radar, was acquired by Premier League club Blackburn on a six-month loan that will keep him in England through the remainder of the season. Reports suggest that the club has the option to purchase him outright at the end of the loan. SEASON: 16 games, 15 starts, 1 goal

Daniel Williams, D, SC Freiburg -- Not in the 18 for Freiburg's 2-2 draw with St. Pauli on Saturday. SEASON: 5 games, 2 starts

2. Bundesliga

Edson Buddle, F, FC Ingolstadt 04 -- Not in the 18 for Ingolstadt's 2-0 loss to FC Augsburg on Sunday. Buddle hasn't joined his new team yet, but when he does, he shouldn't have to wait long to crack the goal-starved squad. Ingolstadt has scored just 19 goals in 18 matches. SEASON: 0 games

Luis Robles, GK, Karlsruhe SC -- Started, played 90 minutes and made two saves in Karlsruhe's 1-1 draw with SpVgg Greuther Furth on Friday. SEASON: 12 games, 12 starts, 45 saves, 19 goals allowed, 3 clean sheets

Dave Yelldell, GK, MSV Duisburg -- Started, played 90 minutes and made two saves in Duisburg's 4-1 victory over VfL Osnabruck on Sunday. SEASON: 21 games, 21 starts, 52 saves, 18 goals allowed, 8 clean sheets

Ligue 1

Carlos Bocanegra, D, St. Etienne -- Started, played 90 minutes in St. Etienne's 2-1 loss to Lens on Saturday SEASON: 18 games, 18 starts, 1 goal

Charlie Davies, F, FC Sochaux -- Not in the 18 for Sochaux's 2-1 loss to Paris-St. Germain on Saturday. SEASON: 0 games

Liga de Honra

Bryan Arguez, M, G.D. Estoril Praia -- Not in the 18 for Estoril's 2-1 loss to Gil Vicente on Saturday. SEASON: 1 game, 1 start

Greg Garza, D, G.D. Estoril Praia -- Not in the 18 for Estoril's 2-1 loss to Gil Vicente on Saturday. SEASON: 1 game

Tony Taylor, F, G.D. Estoril Praia -- In the 18, did not play in Estoril's 2-1 loss to Gil Vicente on Saturday. SEASON: 14 games, 2 starts, 4 goals

Premier League

Maurice Edu, M, Rangers FC -- In the 18, came on as a 62nd-minute substitute and scored an 82nd-minute goal in Rangers' 4-0 victory over Hamilton Academical on Saturday. Edu crept behind the defense into space to receive a throw-in, shook a defender with a nice touch to the top of the area and tucked a left-footed shot inside the right post for the final tally of the match. SEASON: 19 games, 15 starts, 3 goals

First Division

Dominic Cervi, GK, Dundee FC -- Not in the 18 for Dundee's 0-0 draw with Dunfermline Athletic on Saturday. Cervi, who is still with the U.S. national team in training camp, had his month-long loan with Dundee expire, which might not be a bad thing. Dundee was docked 25 points in the league table after going into administration for a second time, and its punishment also includes a player embargo, meaning that the club can't try to negotiate a loan extension. SEASON: 0 games

Primera Division

Daniel Antunez, M/D, Estudiantes Tecos -- In the 18, did not play in Tecos' 3-2 victory over Monterrey on Friday. SEASON: 1 game, 1 start

Jonathan Bornstein, D, Tigres UANL -- Started, played 45 minutes at defensive midfield in Tigres' 1-0 victory over Necaxa on Saturday. The game was Bornstein's first professional club match outside of Major League Soccer. SEASON: 1 game, 1 start

Edgar Castillo, D, Puebla -- Started, played 68 minutes in Puebla's 3-0 loss to San Luis on Saturday. SEASON: 2 games, 2 starts

Herculez Gomez, F, Pachuca -- In the 18, came on as a 74th-minute substitute in Pachuca's 0-0 draw with Toluca on Saturday. SEASON: 2 games

Sonny Guadarrama, M, Atlante -- In the 18, did not play in Atlante's 3-0 victory over Cruz Azul on Saturday. SEASON: 1 game

Sammy Ochoa, F, Estudiantes Tecos -- Not in the 18 for Tecos' 3-2 victory over Monterrey on Friday. SEASON: 0 games

Jose Francisco Torres, M, Pachuca -- In the 18, came on as a 76th-minute substitute in Pachuca's 0-0 draw with Toluca on Saturday. SEASON: 1 game

Avi Creditor is a freelance writer based in Washington, D.C.