In a press conference at PPL Park today, Freddy Adu was officially announced as a member of the Philadelphia Union.

Adu and head coach Peter Nowak posed with Adu’s number eleven jersey (which he acquired from Levi Houapeu in exchange for “a nice dinner”) after answering questions from the media.

Adu’s transfer was finalized earlier Friday and he is eligible to play tomorrow against FC Dallas. He went through practice drills with the team for the first time today.

When asked where Adu will play Nowak said, “I think his natural position is the starting eleven.”

Adu spoke at length about rejoining MLS and his relationship with coach Nowak. “As far as coming to Philly, it’s great. I had some great experiences under coach [Nowak] and, you know, I’ve said this before, I’ve said this before. Some of the times I didn’t handle some of the ways that Peter was trying to get the message across to me very well when I first got in the league. I was 14, 15, 16. I was a kid! When you get to Europe you realize you needed that. That’s exactly how it is over there. I’m just happy to be here, happy to be working with the coaching staff, happy to play soccer. That’s what I care about.

“I always thought Peter was just on me all the time for whatever reason. I always thought he was. But you know what, he was trying to make me better. He really was. And I saw that when I went to Europe.”

At this point, Nowak chimed in: “And had even worse coaches than me!”

Adu laughed, “When you realize that, you really just appreciate everything that he tried to do.”

The Union’s newest player said he spoke with new USA head coach Jurgen Klinsmann about his decision to come to Philadelphia. “I had a talk with Jurgen before the camp and also when I was in camp,” Adu said. “Asked him a bunch of questions about what I was planning on doing. Whether it was playing in Europe or coming back had playing. And his advice really helped me make this decision. He told me, ‘You know what, wherever you’re gonna end up playing, if you’re playing and if you’re doing well, you will get a chance to play.’

“That really helped me out to make the decision. As players, your goal is always to play and be on the national team and play for your country. But first thing’s first, it’s one step at a time. You have to sort out your club career, you have to be playing, you have to be helping your team. His advice did really make my decision a lot easier.”

Adu knows that he left MLS with a bit of a bad rep. He said he was ready to do whatever it takes to help the Union win and advance in the playoffs. “When you’re a teenager, it’s a little bit different. As the years go on you get older, you mature and you start to put things together.”

Nowak and Adu both hope he is a major piece in putting together a championship roster in Philadelphia.