Aberdeen goalkeeper Derek Soutar is poised for a surprise move to America with Major League Soccer outfit Houston Dynamo.
The 26-year-old former Scotland under-21 international is expected to be invited to Texas for a trial when the SPL season concludes.
Houston are managed by former St Johnstone player Dominic Kinnear and coached by retired Scotland international John Spencer. They actively scout in Scottish football and recently recruited English goalkeeper Tony Caig from Gretna.
The Dynamo management team have been impressed by reports on Soutar and are keen to add him to a Scottish colony which includes Aberdeen-born Stuart Holden.
Soutar has been told by Aberdeen he will not be offered a new contract when his current deal expires in the summer.
The goalkeeper will be aware of the potential to land a decent contract in the US, although clubs do have their budgets capped.
Figures released yesterday in the US outlined the money being made by the Scottish contingent in America.
The MLS Players Union has revealed Kenny Deuchar, who left Gretna to sign for Real Salt Lake in February, is among the leading 25% of earners in the American game.
Deuchar, who scored in Saturday’s 2-2 draw with David Beckham’s LA Galaxy, is on a £68,000 annual wage.
The 27-year-old narrowly pips former Hibs forward Tam McManus to the title of highest-paid Scot in the league, with the Colorado Rapids player taking home only £200 less.
Former Montrose player Ian Joy, who is also in the Real Salt Lake squad, earns £60,000 a year.
Joy, born in San Diego but with a Scottish mother, played 28 games for the Angus side in the 2000-01 season.
Caig, who featured for Hibs and MLS side Vancouver Whitecaps before joining Gretna last year, takes home a more modest £27,000 from Salt Lake.
Predictably, David Beckham tops the pile with a basic salary of £2.78million. Mexico international Cuauhtemoc Blanco is next in line with a salary of £1.26million followed by Juan Pablo Angel on £760,000 and former Rangers midfielder Claudio Reyna on £555,000.
The American transfer window opens on June 15, but Soutar will be offered a trial before then.
