AMSTERDAM – Championship side Wolverhampton Wanderers have opted not to make a contract offer to free agent US forward Juan Agudelo, citing his lack of match fitness.
The 21-year-old has been without a club since the spring, when his loan stint with FC Utrecht ended, along with a failed UK work permit chase that caused his Stoke City contract to be nullified. Agudelo played in one U-21 match for Wolves during his two-week trial visit, but his training with the team was cut short by a minor groin pull.
"We felt match fitness was the key for him," Wolves manager Kenny Jackett told reporters on Monday. "To get him up to Championship standard, he'd need to play games, and it's hard to go from nothing straight into the Championship. It was nothing to do with his ability levels, just that he hasn't played. We thank him for coming here and training and hope he enjoyed his time with us, but both parties will now move on."
With his heart set on playing in England, Agudelo spurned multiple offers for a summer move, including one for a return to Utrecht and one from Werder Bremen. The former New York Red Bulls Homegrown Player, who played parts of four Major League Soccer seasons for three teams from 2010-13, also had calls from MLS and several European leagues, with the likes of Feyenoord, Hannover 96 and Sporting CP all showing interest in his services.
