News out of Germany has Werder Bremen confident that they can sign both Jordan Morris and midfielder László Kleinheisler, their Hungarian 21-year-old target. Sporting director Thomas Eichen, the equivalent of a general manager with most European teams, says that it is a matter of "when" the two prospects sign their deals, but the contracts are not yet final.
Both Morris and Kleinheisler fit the system Werder play and are good enough to contribute now -- but Eichen also says that their talent alone will not save Bremen from their current fight against relegation.
"They have confirmed in training camp, what we have seen of them in advance," said Eichen, "they fit into the scheme. The two will do us good."
However, Eichen emphasized that one should not expect too much from them at once.
Morris originally joined Werder Bremen on trial at the insistence of US soccer's U-23 coach Andi Herzog. After joining their winter training camp in Turkey, he went to Germany with the full club. Jordan assisted a goal in a split squad match on Friday. He would be of help to Bremen's attack, which is thin both up top and on the left wing. Morris would likely be a backup at both positions to start with, especially while fellow USMNT player Aron Johannsson remains out with a hip injury.
It seems that Jordan will have two offers sitting in front of him quite soon. Neither club offering him a deal has assured him that he is a starter. The pay seems likely to be competitive. The decision is difficult and purely his own. Eichen certainly seems confident that Morris will sign with Werder Bremen, but so did Major League Soccer commissioner Don Garber when asked during the draft about Morris' chances of signing with the Seattle Sounders. Only one man can be right, and right now which one it will be is a complete mystery.