NY's Tim Ream set to sign with Bolton

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After spending the first two years of his professional career with the New York Red Bulls, Tim Ream is set to sign with Bolton Wanderers after being granted a work permit on Monday, BBC reported on Monday. Sources confirmed to SoccerByIves.net's Adam Franco Panizo that Ream did win his appeal and has been granted the work permit.

Ream will join Bolton on a transfer worth somewhere in the neighborhood of $3 million, which would become the highest amound ever paid for an MLS defender (Former Chicago Fire defender Bakary Soumare was sold to French club Boulogne for $2 million).

Bolton bought Ream to help cover for the sale of standout defender Gary Cahill to Chelsea. The relegation-threatened club has turned to MLS for reinforcements, and are considering a transfer move for Philadelphia striker Sebastien LeToux.

Ream will become the second U.S. men's national team player on Bolton's roster, with injured midfielder Stuart Holden being the other.

A finalist for MLS Rookie of the Year in 2010, Ream worked his way onto the U.S. national team radar with his strong first season with the Red Bulls, but 2011 saw him struggle at times, both for the national team and the Red Bulls.

Once Ream's transfer is complete, the Red Bulls will be able to finalize the acquisition of Wilman Conde. The Red Bulls traded for his rights from the Chicago Fire for a partial allocation.