John Barry Nusum believes his future may lie in Europe despite being offered a long-term deal by the US-based Atlanta Silverbacks.

Nusum, who has been called up to the Bermuda national soccer squad ahead of the forthcoming tour by Barbados, came to the end of his two-year deal with the A-League team at the end of the recently concluded season.

Yesterday the club revealed to that negotiations had been opened with the striker but they had yet to come to a conclusion.

Nusum was drafted by Major League Soccer?s Columbus Crew in February of 2002 but was released just a week before the start of the season.

He was subsequently picked up by the Silverbacks and became an integral part of the side that was then coached by former BAA Wanderers player Brett Mosen. Though Mosen parted company with the side in March of this year and was swiftly followed by his replacement Brazilian Jacenir Silva, new coach Iggy Moleka has continued to field the Islander.

The Silverbacks would clearly like to hang onto Nusum, a fact illustrated by their latest offer, but Stilian Shishkov, the club?s executive director, said it was by no means certain that they would be able to.

?The last time I spoke to him he said he wanted to look at some opportunities that might exist overseas but if nothing comes to fruition the only place he would like to come back to, he said, would be Atlanta,? Shishkov said. ?I know he has been trying to pursue (opportunities) in England specifically . . . and he has indicated that England is the place that he would prefer to go.

?I hope for the best for him and if he can find a good team and a good situation I will be happy because he is a good player, but at the same time I would like to see him coming back and playing for us because we value him very much.?

While not willing to divulge the exact details of the offer on the table, Shishkov said it was representative of how much they thought of the player.

?We would definitely like to do a two or three year deal with him,? he said. ?He is a very strong player and a good finisher and was one of the players that last year and the year before caused the most problems for any defence. He is one of the most dangerous forwards in the league and, with a little bit more support around him and with some good players, he will do very well.?

Nusum has been given the Christmas period to think the offer over, Shishkov saying he would like an answer, yes or no, in the New Year.

?We start back in April,? he said. ?And we would like to know either way at the beginning of the year. I know he is looking at his options and I understand that but, as a team, we would like to know ahead of time if he will be able to make it back.?

Nusum was due to attend his first training session with the Bermuda national squad last night after flying in from the US recently.

Coach Kenny Thompson said yesterday that he hoped to have the player available for selection for the World Cup qualifying campaign which begins in February.

?We met yesterday (Monday) and he will be training today (yesterday),? said Thompson. ?I spoke to him a few weeks ago while he was abroad and expressed my desire to have him involved in the national team programme in preparation for the World Cup.

?He was keen to be involved though he expressed concern about his physical condition as a result of being out of season. He voiced that concern and I basically requested that he start immediately getting himself into playing shape. At our meeting yesterday (Monday) he said he was in a much better shape now than he was when I first spoke to him.?

Thompson said the national squad had intensified their training and this would also help Nusum get back to his best.

?In addition we have two matches, one tomorrow (today) and one on Sunday in which he will participate and through which he will be able to more accurately gauge his condition,? he said. ?The main thing, which I expressed to him, was that I don?t expect him to be in top condition for the Barbados matches, our focus is the World Cup. If we can get him some exposure during the Barbados matches he can improve his fitness further for the World Cup matches in February.?

Thompson?s players, who have already played three matches against lower league opposition in Bermuda, will pit their wits against Premier Division outfits this week.

?We play North Village tomorrow (today) and Dandy Town on Sunday morning,? said Thompson. ?We have played three matches already, two against Commercial League opponents and one against (First Division) PHC. Now we are upping the ante a little bit by playing North Village and Dandy Town.?

The coach described preparations as going ?quite well?.

?I am pleased with the output of the players,? he said. ?The players are motivated. I think we will take a while to gel into a fully cohesive unit, but that?s what these preparation matches are for and, also, the two matches against Barbados will hold us in good stead. Overall, I am very pleased with the output.?