The latest US national team star appears to be on his way to MLS.
Goal.com reported on Friday that the Philadelphia Union’s lengthy pursuit of Maurice Edu has come to an end, with the Stoke City midfielder agreeing to terms with the Union and MLS. He follows in the footsteps of current USMNT mainstays Michael Bradley and Michael Parkhurst, who left European clubs earlier this month for MLS.
The report comes on the heels of Union manager John Hackworth telling media earlier Friday, on opening day of the team’s preseason camp, that he was hoping to have an agreement with Edu finalized any day.
ESPN’s Taylor Twellman reported Thursday that Union CEO Nick Sakiewicz was headed to England to put the final touches on the deal.
A Philadelphia Union spokesperson declined to comment on the latest report when reached by MLSsoccer.com.
Edu, 27, left Major League Soccer midway through the 2008 season after breaking through as the top draft pick and Rookie of the Year in 2007 with Toronto FC. He’s earned 45 caps for the US national team but has found playing time hard to come by since leaving Scottish side Rangers in 2012.
He has yet to make an appearance this season for Stoke, which Hackworth said is a big reason why Edu wants to come back to MLS.
“I think he's very motivated to try and make the World Cup team this year, so there's a lot of factors on all sides,” Hackworth said in an interview SiriusXM FC on Wednesday. “Like I said, we've been working on it for quite some time and we're very close to the end here, and hopefully we can come to a resolution that makes sense for all three of us."
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The Philadelphia Union were originally linked with the longtime US national team midfielder early last week. Sakiewicz told MLSsoccer.com that he’s optimistic a deal will get done before the transfer window closes on Jan. 31.
“We just want to make sure we do it right,” Sakiewicz told the media during the MLS SuperDraft last week. “Right for Mo. Right for the league. Right financially for the Union. We want him. And he wants to be here. But the negotiating process is very fluid and unpredictable.”
