It’s taken four long years and multiple stops in Europe, but former US national team striker Eddie Johnson is finally returning to MLS.
The league announced on Thursday that it had agreed to a contract with the 27-year-old veteran. Johnson will go into the league allocation process, and his new club will be determined on Friday.
Previously, Johnson had spent six seasons with Dallas and two in Kansas City. He has a total of 41 goals in 127 MLS games, as well as 12 goals in 42 appearances for the US national team.
His success for both club and country attracted numerous European suitors, with Fulham of the English Premier League ending up as Johnson’s landing spot in January of 2008. From then until the end of his contract in 2011, he suited up 18 times for the Cottagers but failed to tally a single goal.
In between run-outs with Fulham, Johnson had loan spells that led to mixed reviews. He spent a year with Cardiff City, scoring just twice in 30 games but becoming a fan favorite for his work rate.
His most successful stint was with Aris FC of the Greek League, where Johnson bagged five goals in 16 appearances early in 2010 and was one of the heroes of the Greek playoffs that year.
A permanent move to Aris was scuttled due to the Greek economic crisis, and when Johnson’s contract ran out last summer, he became a free agent.
Johnson attracted numerous suitors during his free agency, and seemed to have come to an agreement with MLS in mid-August. But he pulled out of a deal at the last minute, opting once again to test his luck elsewhere.
That led to a brief spell with Puebla in the Mexican Primera this winter, but Johnson left La Franja without having suited up for the team.
As per MLS policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.
