“Alhaji is a fast, dynamic striker...a true number nine,” said Dave Kasper, United general manager and VP of soccer operations. “His strength and speed immediately caught our attention and he has a nose for goal. He scored some big goals for his club last fall that helped them win the championship and qualify for UEFA Champions League.”
INTERNATIONAL: Kamara has been capped six times for Sierra Leone, playing in two Africa Cup of Nations matches and two World Cup Qualifiers. He scored his first international goal in a 2-1 WCQ win over Chad on Oct. 13, 2015.
OUTSIDE MLS: Kamara, who hails from Freetown on the West Coast of Sierra Leone, began his youth career with F.C. Kallon, one of the powerhouses in the Sierra Leone National Premier League, and the same club that compatriot and Columbus Crew SC forward Kei Kamara (no relation) began his career. After impressing with his athletic build and direct style of play, he signed on loan with Swedish first-division side Djurgårdens IF in 2012, beginning a career in Sweden in which eventually signed with Norrköping in 2014. After being loaned to Malaysian side Johor Darul Ta'zim F.C. in March of 2015, Norrköping recalled Kamara in July, after which he helped the side win the league, making 13 appearances and scoring seven goals. The 22-year-old amassed a strong goals-to-games ratio during his time with IFK Norrköping, playing in 48 games and scoring 21 goals across all competitions from 2014-2015.
