Soccer By Ives reported on Thursday afternoon that Freddy Adu will be joining the Philadelphia Union.
“Adu will be introduced as the Philadelphia Union’s newest signing on Friday,” the SBI report said, “marking his return to MLS after four years in Europe, multiple sources confirmed to Fox Soccer on Thursday.”
The report said that Adu will not be signing as a designated player. [Update: SI’s Grant Wahl tweeted after the SBI story was published, “Freddy Adu signs with Philadelphia Union. He will be a Designated Player. Continues career rebound.” We’ll find out on Friday.]
Local confirmation of the signing comes from The Daily News, Comcast SportsNet, NBC Philadelphia and the 700 Level.
Kerith Gabriel reported for the Daily News, “Sources have revealed to the Daily News confirming a FOXSoccer.com report that the Philadelphia Union are prepared to announce the signing of former MLS player Freddy Adu.”
A report from Ryan Bright at Comcast SportNet said, “With the MLS transfer window set to close on Friday, the Union have agreed to terms with 22-year-old playmaking midfielder Freddy Adu, Comcast SportsNet has confirmed.”
A tweet from NBC Philadelphia on Thursday afternoon said, “BREAKING: Freddy Adu headed back to the U.S. to play for the @PhilaUnion, according to multiple sources. More to come…”
A report at The 700 Level said, “Comcast SportsNet has confirmed that the Union and Adu have agreed to terms.”
The 700 Level is a Comcast partner in Philadelphia and Comcast owns NBC, which just signed a three-year deal to televise MLS matches.
Ives Galarcep wrote at Fox Sports, “After initially being linked to a move to Chivas USA, sources within MLS have told Fox Soccer that Adu will be signing with the Philadelphia Union. An announcement on the move is expected to be made on Friday.”
Galarcep’s report at SBI said, “Adu was set to sign with Chivas USA as a Designated Player but that deal fell apart after upper management at Chivas USA balked at the signing.”
The Union is second behind Chivas in the allocation order.
Adu was coached by Union head coach Peter Nowak in his first years as a professional at DC United.
Galarcep’s Fox Sports report concludes, “An Adu-Nowak reunion might seem odd considering the way they clashed during Adu’s time in DC, but the two repaired their relationship in the years after, and worked together on the 2008 US 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.”
Recent rumors had suggested the Union was in talks to sign Juventus leftback Fabio Grosso. A tweet from Dave Zeitlin on Thursday said, “Fabio Grosso will not be coming to Philly. But at least one other signing will likely be announced tomorrow, per Nowak’s presser.”
The Washington Post’s SoccerInsider tweeted, “Union to formally introduce Freddy Adu at noon Friday.” [Update: Stephen Goff later wrote, “Adu’s contract is owned by Portuguese club Benfica, but a “complicated” financial arrangement is in the process of being finalized. Once completed, MLS would obtain his full rights.]
DelcoTimes reporter Chris Vito tweeted, “When asked if he had found his man, Nowak said, ‘Maybe not only one.'”
SBI tweeted, “Union aren’t done either. Don’t B surprised if Philly adds a forward before close of the MLS transfer period. Philly is NOT messing around.”
This is wonderful news. He is exactly what we needed, a creative playmaker.
+1000000000 Points for Nowak, AND he won’t be a DP either? Victory all around.
Adu to the U! The perfect guy to fill our playmaker role, no disrespect to Roger Torres who remains a nice spark off the bench. Having praised Torres, we now have someone who can take a free kick, control the game, and potentially develop some team USA chemistry with Danny. Would love to see
Mondragon
Williams, Valdes, Califf, Garfan
Caroll
Daniel Adu Marfan
Mwanga Jack Mac
Agreed on all counts. But I wouldn’t be surprised if we see
Mondragon
Williams/Valdes/Califf/Garfan
Mapp/Carroll/Adu/LeToux
Jack Mac/Paunovic
Which I think could work, if some combination of Mwanga/Marfan/Daniel is brought on for Paunovic and Mapp in the second half.
Still wouldn’t give up on Le Toux up top. He’s going to break this curse eventually and when he does all hell is going to break loose.
Freddy’s addition is going to be great for LeToux also. Eases a lot of the playmaking burden.
I just love this move.
if this true (and all account point to it is) i think it is a great deal for the u and adu. he needs more playing time and we need a reliable playmaker.
I’m trying to come up with a downside to this, but I am completely stumped. Right now I am simply very happy and very optimistic about this signing.
Great move, agree with all your comments!!! I believe there was talk about a Union deal involving multiple players. If that’s true I would say Gonzalez and Nakazawa would be traded. The first one is obvious and Adu signing makes Nak expandable.
sweet.
I love all my GM’s right now (at least for the teams I heavily follow: eagles, phillies, union)
Time will tell if this is a good move. Lets see an addition up top and maybe at left back. This is definitely promissing and I hope its he is not the only addition.
Do you honestly want another striker after this? I don’t want to take ANYMORE minutes away from Jack Mac and Mwanga.
And Adu will simply make the WHOLE offense better. I don’t think we even need a striker anymore.
Still think we need another veteran striker. More so as a tutor for Mwanga and Jac Mac. They are both so young and unlike other positions on the field there really is no veteran in that position on the team. Remember that Le Toux really only started playing striker full time last season.
Yes,
Mawanga and Mac are too young. Mawanga showed his inexperience and lack of confidence recently, in not finish a one on one opportunity, and getting rid of the ball instead.
I agree that time will tell but this is just the kind of signing we need, an attacking player who is still young but experienced and has something to prove. I really really like this move.
a guy i work with told me today he way at the chiropractor, which is the offical chriopractor of the union today and he told me that there was a guy in a union polo talking about adu coming and he also over heard him say something about another player but he wasnt sure who. he thinks he heard him say ringo maybe… anyone know a player with the name ringo?
Now how bout a dback who can play across the back line? Never want settle…:)
I want Adu’s jersey right now! This is the best news I’ve heard from the U all year. I thought I was very happy when Adu made the USMNT; this eclipses that by a million!
Well … maybe not signing Benny Feilhaber doesn’t look so bad after all. All I can say is … wow.
Sorry to be the glass half empty kind of guy but, as much as I like this signing, I’m fully expecting Nowak to screw it up by playing Adu out of position or making some foolish change to the starting XI. He won’t be happy with just inserting him into the line up. I’m scared he’ll aimlessly tinker with personnel as he has all year. I desperately hope I’m wrong.