USMNT defender George Bello is on the move from Atlanta United. Bello appears set to join Arminia Bielefeld in Germany’s Bundesliga, CBS Sports transfer insider Fabrizio Romano reports. Cercle Brugge of Belgium were also after Bello during this January transfer window, but the 20-year-old prefers the move to Germany.
Bello made his senior debut with the United States in January of 2021 against Trinidad and Tobago. The young left back has since been called up for last summer’s Concacaf Gold Cup and was a starter in the final against Mexico. Gregg Berhalter called Bello up for the December friendly against Bosnia and Herzegovina which featured an MLS-predominant roster as it took place in the middle of the European club season. Bello has not gotten the call for World Cup qualifiers and will watch Sunday’s pivotal Concacaf showdown against Canada (3:05 p.m. ET | Paramount+) in Hamilton, Ontario, from home.
Bello was signed as a Homegrown player by Atlanta United in 2017 but didn’t make his MLS debut until 2018 vs. DC United. Over 52 appearances with the senior team, Bello has scored three goals and provided three assists with the vast majority coming over the past two seasons during which he has been a full time starter at left back. While other defenders in the league have provided more in the attacking third than Bello, most aren’t as young as he is outside of Kevin Paredes who recently moved to Wolfsburg from DC United.
Considering how well Americans have developed in Germany and Bello’s contract situation, it makes all the sense in the world why his camp wanted to hold out for the move to Arminia. Arminia Bielefeld are no longer in dire threat of being relegated in Bundesliga play (they currently sit 14th), so they likely raised the offer for Bello to get him now instead of waiting for the summer.
