CLINT MATHIS, who established himself as Hannover 96's attacking midfielder after joining the German First Division team at the winter break of last season, will get competition next season from 25-year-old Portuguese Ricardo Sousa, whom Hannover signed from Boavista to a three-year contract.
''He is just the player I wanted,'' said Hannover coach Ewald Lienen.
OGUCHI ONYEWU, 22, still the property of French club Metz, will play a second season in Belgian First Division, this time at Standard Liege. This is a step up: Standard finished third while La Louviere, his old club, was tied for seventh. Onyewu will play in UEFA Cup for second straight year — Standard qualifies as No. 3 Belgian team; La Louviere made it last year as Belgian Cup champ.
WADE BARRETT, 28, is expected to go on a short-term loan to to Norway's top tier Frederikstad, where U.S. striker Brian West plays, from his Danish club Aarhus, for which he debuted in March 2003.
STEVE SHAK, the No. 1 pick in the 2000 MLS Draft, has ended his stint at Bodens BK in Sweden's Second Division and is back in the United States. Shak played four games with fellow Americans Brian Dunseth and Leighton O'Brien at Bodens. Last Friday (July 2), he made his debut with the Virginia Beach Mariners of the A-League in a 2-1 victory over the previously-unbeaten Montreal Impact, coming on as a substitute in the 64th minute.
NORWAY
* Robbie Russell (Rosenborg, D1). vs. Fredrikstad, July 25.
Season stats: 13 games, 2 goals.
* Brian West (Fredrikstad, D1), at Rosenborg, July 25.
Season stats: 9 games, 4 goals.
* Adam Skumawitz (Aalesund, D2), at Haugesund, Sunday.
Season stats: 8 games, 0 goals.
SWEDEN
* Brian Dunseth (Bodens SK, D2), at Vasteras SK, July 18.
League stats: 9 games, 0 goals.
* Leighton O'Brien (Bodens SK, D2), at Vasteras SK, July 18
League stats: 9 games, 0 goals.