ARON JOHANNSSON'S TRANSFER from AZ Aklmaar to Werder Bremen is nearly complete as the Eredivisie club formally announced that the two sides have agreed to the framework of a deal. All that remains is for Johannsson to come to personal terms. Here are my thoughts on the deal.

Expect immediate playing time

The bottom line: I like this deal. Werder Bremen came after Johannsson because the club needed a forward who could contribute. This was not simply the case of a club looking for a surplus player for depth purposes.

On July 25, Werder Bremen sold Argentine forward Franco di Santo to Schalke and this immediately created a vacancy at forward. Di Santo is coming off a season where he scored 13 goals in 26 Bundesliga appearances. Werder Bremen had to act quickly but Johannsson was the team’s choice as replacement.

Ukrainian head coach Viktor Skrypnyk is in a stable position at Werder where he played with the club from 1996-2004 before coaching in Werder’s youth ranks. He then assumed the head coaching job in 2014 and last season he guided the team to a 10th place finish. Skrypnyk prefers an offensive and open style of play and last season the club’s 50 goals was good enough for sixth in the league.

So everything in this deal points in the direction of it being a good move for Johannsson. He is needed, the coach’s job is secure, the team is offensive-minded, and it is a step up in prestige for the 24-year-old American forward.

Aron is smart—expect success

Whether playing for clubs in Iceland, Denmark, or the Netherlands, Johannsson has found success because of his intelligence and his ability to score in many different ways. He makes smart runs in the box and is a lethal finisher from close range. As he showcased in his terrific finish to the 2014-15 Eredivisie season, he can also strike from distance with a powerful shot from distance.

In the Bundesliga, stronger and more powerful defenders await. Johannsson's game, however, is based on technique rather than strength. That's why he has found it easy to adjust to the various leagues he has played. His skillset will continue to help him, even at the highest levels.

Eredivise works for Americans

Johannsson’s transfer to Werder Bremen is also the latest evidence that the Eredivisie is really a great league for American players to springboard up to higher leagues. 

DaMarcus Beasley played in the Champions League semifinals with PSV Eindhoven before going on to spend time at Manchester City and then Glasgow Rangers. Jozy Altidore and Michael Bradley used successful seasons in the Eredivisie to make moves to the Premier League and Bundesliga, respectively. Cory Gibbs was going places too in the Netherlands before injuries took their toll. And the sky was the limit for John O’Brien before his body just decided it wasn’t cut out for professional sports.

It will be interesting to see if current American internationals Rubio Rubin and Desevio Payne follow on similar trajectories.