NEW YORK – Fans in the United States could have another American to follow in the UEFA Champions League this season alongside Sacha Kljestan (Anderlecht), Dominic Cervi (Celtic Glasgow) and Maurice Edu (Glasgow Rangers).
US Under-20 international defender Gale Agbossoumonde confirmed on Friday that he will be making his return to Portugal’s Sporting Braga following his participation with the U-20s in the Milk Cup in Northern Ireland. The club was faced with the decision to exercise an option on the player’s contract.
“Before I left on vacation, [Braga] told me they wanted me back,” Agbossoumonde told MLSsoccer.com from Northern Ireland.
Although the 18-year-old central defender did not have full knowledge of the details of the transaction, which is being managed by his representatives at Traffic Sports, he knows he will join the squad in Braga on July 31, following the conclusion of the Milk Cup.
Sporting Braga were the revelation of the 2009-10 Portuguese season and finished second behind Benfica, earning a qualifying berth into the UEFA Champions League.
They were drawn against Scottish giants Celtic Glasgow over two legs on July 28 and Aug. 4, and Agbossoumonde likes his club’s chances. Should Sporting Braga advance, they would need to overcome one more home-and-home playoff tie against another European power to qualify to the group stages of the UEFA Champions League.
Agbossoumonde, who has trialed with the likes of Atlético Madrid and Real Valladolid in the past, knows that the group stage will probably represent his best opportunity to make his Champions League debut. He is still getting back to full fitness following a knee injury which kept him out of action for the tail end of the last European season.
“This is my second week playing since I’ve been back from injury,” Agbossoumonde said. “I probably need some time … I’m definitely not fit where I should be.”
Braga regrouped for preseason training in late June, so Agbossoumonde has some catching up to do. But he feels that this year he will likely be in regular training with the first team and will get the chance to leave a mark on the club he joined back in December.
“I want to break in,” Agbossoumonde said of his goal for this season. “I want to get regular playing time.”
Braga may need him. The club made some changes to their surprise package from last year, including cashing in on some of their most prized assets like World Cup goalkeeper Eduardo, who moved to Serie A side Genoa.
In the meantime, Agbossoumonde is sure to be a staple on Thomas Rongen’s 18-man roster, which will feature in three matches in Northern Ireland against China (July 26), Denmark (July 28) and a third opponent to be determined (July 30). Rongen is refining his squad ahead of qualifying for the 2011 Under-20 World Cup, which would be Agbossoumonde’s second after starting all three matches in Egypt 2009.
He believes this will be a different Under-20 side than the one fans may recollect from two years ago.
“It’s a different playing style, a more attractive playing style,” Agbossoumonde said of Rongen’s team. “Different players.”
