Over the past few months, the Philadelphia Union had been working under the assumption that Amobi Okugo would leave for Europe when his contract was up at the end of the season, and that the club would get nothing in return.
So when the opportunity arose to actually get something back for the versatile, 23-yearold midfielder, the Union technical staff jumped on it, trading Okugo’s rights to expansion club Orlando City SC on Monday in exchange for allocation money and a second-round pick in the 2016 SuperDraft.
“We have had discussions with Amobi and his representation and we knew that he wanted to test Europe,” Union technical director Chris Albright said. “Frankly, that’s a risky proposition when a guy is out of contract and we could come back with nothing in return. So we saw some real value in the deal with Orlando.”
While cash and a second-round draft pick might not seem like much for a talented player who’s made more than 100 MLS appearances, Albright said the deal “erases some of the uncertainty” around the future of a player who was essentially a free agent.
The Union - who made a bona fide offer to Okugo following the 2014 season - will also use the savings from not having Okugo on the payroll to bolster the roster in the offseason, which started with trading for striker C.J. Sapongon Monday.
“I would say that we’re really happy with the money that we got back in the trade and I would say that we have a good amount of flexibility this offseason to go out and continue to add in positions of need,” Albright said. “I think you saw that today with a move like C.J., and our roster will continue to develop as the season continues.”
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At the same time, Albright recognizes that backlash from Philly fans about the deal is inevitable. Not only was Okugo the last remaining player with the Union continuously since the beginning of their inaugural season in 2010, he was also perhaps the club’s most popular player.
But after showing his worth as both a center back and defensive midfielder while providing the club with much-needed leadership during some trying times, Okugo has seen the final chapter of his five-year tenure in Philly written.
“Amobi has been a valuable member to this club on and off the field,” Albright said. “He’s a guy that was a competitor that played multiple positions when asked. That being said, I think that [head coach] Jim [Curtin] and I want to put players in positions that they are happy in going forward, as well. We want to do right by players and we feel that this is a move that does right by Amobi and puts him in a position to be successful.”
Dave Zeitlin covers the Union for MLSsoccer.com. Email him at djzeitlin@gmail.com.
