The Philadelphia Union appear poised to welcome Colombian international and World Cup veteran defender Carlos Valdes back into the fold on Monday, according to numerous reports.
The Philadelphia Daily News reported on Sunday that the Union will announce that Valdes has returned to the club after two years away in South America, where he played for both Colombian side Santa Fe and Argentine side San Lorenzo while successfully earning a spot on Colombia’s World Cup team this summer.
Valdes, 29, appeared in one match for Colombia in Brazil, earning a start and logging a full 90 minutes of the team’s win over Japan in the Group C finale.
CSN Philly also reported Sunday that Valdes will rejoin the Union, and ESPN and former Philadelphia Union television analyst Taylor Twellman tweeted on Sunday morning that he expected Valdes to re-join the Union within the next two days.
FutboMLS.com editor Diego Pinzon also tweeted out this picture of Valdes in New York City on Sunday, apparently headed to Philadelphia for Monday's press conference.
The Union declined to comment on the report, but the club sent out an email on Sunday that said head coach Jim Curtin will make a player announcement during his weekly press conference on Monday. The email did not reference the return of Valdes.
Valdes was one of the top center backs in MLS during his two years in the league in 2011-12, appearing in 65 total matches and earning a selection to the 2012 MLS All-Star team (video above).
The Valdes signing will be the second major acquisition in the span of a week for the Union, who sit three points out of the fifth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference at the All-Star break. The club added Algerian goalkeeper and World Cup veteran Rais Mbolhi on July 30.
