Roma announced late Thursday that the team has sold the U.S. international midfielder to MLS for a fee of $10 million. Bradley will join Toronto FC in the coming days.
The 26-year-old spent one and a half seasons with the Giallorossi, making 41 league appearances, including 29 starts. The American joined Roma from Chievo Verona in 2012.
The $10 million fee is the second largest ever paid for an American, coming short of the $13 million Sunderland paid for Jozy Altidore this offseason.
Toronto has revamped its roster after eight disappointing seasons since becoming the first Canadian team to join the North American league. Over that span, TFC has a 51-105-56 record and has yet to reach the playoffs.
Along with the addition of Bradley, the Reds have also agreed to a league-record deal with Tottenham forward Jermain Defoe, who is set to be announced during a press conference on Monday. Toronto will pay Spurs a transfer fee of $9 million, according to multiple reports.
Toronto has also brought back hometown hero Dwayne De Rosario and added young Brazilian forward Gilberto.
Bradley is widely considered the U.S. national team's best player ahead of next summer's World Cup in Brazil. The New Jersey native follows American star Clint Dempsey back to MLS. Dempsey surprisingly left Tottenham for the Seattle Sounders on a four-year deal last summer.
Bradley, the son of former U.S. coach Bob Bradley, began his professional career with the New York MetroStars in 2004. He has also played for SC Heerenveen in the Netherlands, Bundesliga side Borussia Mönchengladbach, Aston Villa and Serie A's Chievo.
SOURCES: NBC SPORTS GROUP NOT PART OF NEXT MLS TV DEAL
NBC Sports has made a strong push into American soccer broadcasting with its coverage of MLS and the English Premier League in recent years, but now it appears as though MLS won't be a part of that equation in 2015.
Sources tell Sporting News/Goal USA that MLS is putting the finishing touches on a new TV rights deal and NBC Sports will not be a part of the new deal.
An announcement on the league's new TV rights partners could come as early as next week at the 2014 MLS Draft, which takes place on Jan. 16 in Philadelphia.
The NBC Sports Group took over for Fox Soccer in 2012 and impressed MLS viewers with crisp and high-quality coverage of MLS, but according to Philly.com, NBC Sports lost out on the latest MLS TV deal after being out-bid by Fox Sports.
The NBC Sports Group featured MLS matches regularly on NBC Sports Network, as well as a handful of games on NBC. The 2014 season is the third and final year of a three-year rights agreement signed by the NBC Sports Group with MLS.
ESPN is expected to remain a partner, with sources telling Sporting News/Goal USA that the network is expected to finalize the new TV deal in the coming days.
Sources have also told Sporting News/Goal USA that the looming MLS TV deal will be worth significantly more than the previous deal, and could include sharing of rights to U.S. Men's national team home matches, including World Cup qualifiers between ESPN and Fox. ESPN is also expected to secure secondary rights to MLS and the U.S. national team as well, which would include online rights.
Contributors: Seth Vertelney, Ives Galarcep, Goal.com
