After reports earlier in the week suggested D.C. United defender Steve Birnbaum was attracting interest overseas, it's now a bit clearer what some of that interest looks like.
According to a report from Steven Goff of The Washington Post, Israeli club Maccabi Haifa is looking at Birnbaum to join the Israeli Premier League side. But it also appears D.C. United is unwilling to part with the defender, who has two years left on his contract after being drafted in 2014.
A sideline report from CSN's Paul Tenorio during last week's D.C. United vs. Chicago Fire match said that Birnbaum
had attracted at least one bid from a club in Europe
as well as interest elsewhere.
Though Birnbaum has been an important piece for the Black-and-Red, his recent appearances for the US national team are probably a factor in driving much of the interest. He played against Guatemala in the USA's second-leg World Cup qualifying win in March, in January he scored a game-winner against Iceland in a friendly, and now he has made coach Jurgen Klinsmann's preliminary roster for Copa America.
