Bocanegra signs with French club

U.S. national team captain Carlos Bocanegra has signed a three-year contracr with a French club Stade Rennais F.C in Rennes, according to the website Yanks Abroad.

Last season Rennais finished sixth in Ligue 1 and qualified for UEFA Intertoto Cup. The year before they qualified for the UEFA Cup, but finished last in the initial group phase.

Bocanegra, of course, joins Rennais on free transfer after being released from Fulham this summer, as "Fulham USA" continues the process of de-Americanizing its roster.

According to the article Rennais courted the 29-year-old centerback for some time, until they finally came to terms. The move could prove to be a good one for Bocanegra, who had a couple of subpar seasons in England recently and might need a change of scenery.

Bocangera joins fellow Americans Andrew Jacobson (midfielder - Lorient) and Quentin Westerberg (goalkeeper - Troyes).

Fulham's a little less American

English Premier League club Fulham released American centerback Carlos Bocanegra on Friday after the club narrowly avoided relegation this season.

Bocanegra, a regular starter and sometimes captain under former manager Lawrie Sanchez, was underutilized and underappreciated by Fulham's soon to be ex-manager Roy Hodgson. I give Hodgson five games into next season before he's sacked. Fulham fired Sanchez with Fulham in the relegation zone and Hodgson needed late game heroics in the final match of the season to avoid the drop. I don't really see the difference between the two bosses.

Americans Brian McBride, Clint Dempsey, Eddie Johnson and Kasey Keller all remain on the roster for now, although there are rumors that McBride and Keller may retire. Fulham also released Jari Litmanen, Philippe Christanval, Simon Elliott, Ian Pearce, Michael Timlin, Ismael Ehui and Bjorn Runstrom.