Freddy Adu is coming back to Major League Soccer, but not to the club first believed.
After initially being linked to a move to Chivas USA, sources have told FOX Soccer that Adu will in fact be signing with the Philadelphia Union. An announcement on the move is expected to be made on Friday.
Adu was all set to sign with Chivas USA, which had lined up a move to acquire him as a Designated Player, but the move fell apart at the last minute when Chivas USA owner Jorge Vergara decided the move wasn't the direction he wanted the club to go in. That decision paved the way for Adu to sign with the Union.
The signing re-unites Adu with Union head coach Peter Nowak, who was head coach of D.C. United during Adu’s early years in MLS.
Chivas USA had been lining up a move to acquire the 22-year-old midfielder, but ultimately balked on his asking price, which paved the way for Adu to move to Philadelphia, where he’ll be joining a Union side currently battling the Columbus Crew for first place in the Eastern Conference.
Adu’s arrival comes just as the Union looks to revamp an offense that recently lost striker Carlos Ruiz to a transfer to Mexican side Veracruz. Philadelphia will be hoping Adu can provide the playmaker the squad has sorely needed since joining MLS last year. Combining Adu with the forward tandem of Danny Mwanga and Sebastien LeToux could give the Union the sort of high-powered attack they will need to make a deep playoff run.
An Adu-Nowak reunion might seem odd considering the way they clashed during Adu’s time in D.C., but the two repaired their relationship in the years after, and worked together on the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team. When asked about Adu a year ago, Nowak said he still rated Adu as a player and would love the chance to work with him again.
It remains unclear whether Adu is being signed as a Designated
Player, or through the regular MLS Allocation process.
