U.S. winger Shea to train with Arsenal

DALLAS (Reuters) -- United States winger Brek Shea, one of the most highly-rated young players in Major League Soccer, will spend a month training with English Premier League club Arsenal, his MLS team FC Dallas said on Thursday.

Shea, 21, will team-up with the Gunners after playing for the U.S in friendly matches in France and Slovenia on November 11 and 15.

Dallas said in a statement on their website that Shea would then be returning to Texas in December.

"The decision to send Shea to train with the Gunners was made after U.S. head coach Juergen Klinsmann encouraged his MLS-based players to spend the off-season training overseas to enter January camp in top shape," said the statement.

FC Dallas head coach Shcellas Hyndman has given his blessing to the arrangement.

"Affording Brek the opportunity to continue to work on improving his game and measure himself among the best players in the world is something we are all excited about," he said.

"It's a winning situation for Brek, FC Dallas and the U.S. team, as the extra training time will help push his game to the next level."

There has been no suggestion that Arsenal intend to sign Shea, who usually plays wide on the left.

Arsenal have a North American scout, Danny Karbassiyoon and the club's chief executive Ivan Gazidis is former deputy commissioner of MLS.

MLS's off-season runs from late November to mid-March and Klinsmann has been pushing players in and around his national team squad, to take advantage of the break to train with foreign clubs.

U.S. reserve team keeper Bill Hamid is currently training with another Premier League club, West Bromwich Albion.