Jordan Morris passes on Werder Bremen

Jordan Morris's week with Werder Bremen has come to an abrupt end after the American forward has passed up an opportunity to join the club in order to play in the MLS.

"Following intense talks, the player made clear that he currently sees his future in America," sporting director Thomas Eichin said in a club statement. "Of course, we respect this decision. We're in a situation now, where we need players who identify with Werder and the way things are done here completely, in order for them to focus properly on the task ahead.

The 21-year-old forward trained with Bremen during the club's training trip in Belek, Turkey. He also played in Bremen's friendly against Azerbaijan's Inter Baku, assisting Claudio Pizarro for the only assist of the game.

Morris, a graduate of the Seattle Sounders academy in the United States, was expected to choose between the American club and Bremen. He is due to join Jürgen Klinsmann and the United States national team later this week.

Bundesliga possibilities shut for now

Though Bremen missed out on the young American talent, Eichin left the door open for another Morris pursuit in the future. "We are distancing ourselves from a transfer for the time being, but we will remain in close contact with him and are entertaining the idea of working together in the future."

A second pursuit of Morris will be much more difficult though. Because Morris is a Sounders academy product, the Major League Soccer bylaws will allow Seattle to obtain his services with much more ease. Seattle's president of soccer Garth Lagerwey has already confirmed the club will offer Morris the highest contract a homegrown player has ever received, and the club will have little incentive to sell the player with the way MLS distributes money for transfer fees.

With Morris unattached at the moment, Bremen's best chance to sign him is now out the window. The door may be open, but the cover charge will be much more expensive for Bremen to try to win Morris over.