Report: Anderlecht's Guillaume Gillet says he has declined an offer from LA Galaxy

Guillaume Gillet put himself on Once A Metro's watch-list last month when he announced (jokingly, perhaps) that he was open to a move to the New York Red Bulls, where he would be reunited with former Anderlecht teammate Sacha Kljestan.

The Belgian utility player (he can do a job in defense and midfield) is currently the subject of much transfer speculation. He is in the last year of his contract with Anderlecht, and the club has let it be known it will not stand in his way if and when he decides to leave. Though he is regular starter and has scored three goals in five appearances in this season's Europa League, Gillet has been promised the freedom to move on as early as the January transfer window.

Anderlecht would like him to stay through the end of the season, maybe even renew his contract, and perhaps he will - especially if the club makes it into the knockout rounds of the Europa League. But he is not short of options, and not shy about discussing those options in public. A subject Gillet seems particularly happy to talk about is MLS interest in his services. Last month, RBNY was on his list of potential destinations. Now, the player has reported to the Belgian press that he has received an offer from LA Galaxy - and turned it down.

Financially, it was not possible.

Quoted at length by dh.be, Gillet goes on to describe the fact that MLS clubs are only able to offer significant salaries through Designated Player contracts. Since LA has a full quota of DPs, there could be no agreement. Though he does not rule out a change of mind if there is a change of circumstance:

If all the ingredients were there, I was leaving I do not directly close the door. It remains an option. The club knows I was interested, but he also knows my salary expectations.

Gillet has the attention of a number of Ligue 1 clubs, of which Nantes is perhaps the frontrunner - having publicly stated it is targeting the player. Lille is also rumored to be circling, as is Bordeaux.  And English Premier League side Watford has recently been added to his list of suitors.

Gillet would appear to have every reason to hold out for DP money from MLS: he is in eye-catching form for his club, has the freedom to make his next move on his own terms, and does not appear to lack options. Unfortunately, this would seem to be make a move to RBNY unlikely: the club has a well-defined transfer policy that prefers not to pay top dollar for players on the wrong side of 30 with limited resale value.

Unless Gillet's interest in playing alongside Kljestan in New York is such that he is willing to contemplate discounting his salary requirements, it seems probable he'll find better offers from clubs closer to his current home, or MLS teams more desperate for an international-caliber, goal-scoring defender (or midfielder).