Potential Targets - Part One

As the MLS transfer window nears, The MLS Zone has decided to take a look at a few names that have been rumored as targets for MLS teams. Some are purely speculation and others just might happen.

Luis Figo, 34, attacking midfielder
The Inter Milan/Real Madrid/Barcelona star initially signed with Saudi Arabian club Al-Ittihad, but has recently said he will not be joining the club because they didn't respect terms of the contract. He was teammates with David Beckham for several years in Madrid, and could be ready to head to the States if a team shows him some $$$.

Andriy Shevchenko, 30, striker
Still under contract with Chelsea, the Ukranian forward has been under pressure to deliver all year - some have said his hefty salary is not worth the production he is giving the club. He is married to Kristen Pazik, a model from the Washington, D.C. area, and recently gave an interview saying he'd like to follow Beckham over to MLS at some point.

Brian McBride, 34, striker
One of the most successful American players overseas, McBride led EPL side Fulham in scoring for the 2006-07 season, with 12 goals. He spent 1996-2003 with the Columbus Crew, scoring 62 goals in that time. He's signed a one-year contract with Fulham, but is also getting looked at by Bolton. Best guess is that he will play one more year in Europe and come home to end his career with a team in MLS, but might make the jump early like Claudio Reyna did.

Robbie Fowler, 32, forward
The fourth-highest goalscorer in Premier League history, Fowler was linked with a move to the New England Revolution several months ago. Now out of contract with Liverpool, he is being linked to Celtic and Rangers. I'm sure the Revs would still like to have him - paired with Taylor Twellman, the duo could run riot on the rest of the league.

Kasey Keller, 37, goalkeeper
Having watched his club get relegated out of the top-tier of German football, Keller is now pondering his next career move. Real Salt Lake has reportedly made several offers as recent as this week. None of them have even come close to what Keller is looking for. Will he take less money to end his career in the States or will he cash in and sit on the bench in Europe?

Stay tuned for Part Two of the list, which will be ready as soon as I put it together... probably later tonight.