Just as America celebrates David Beckham’s arrival, the MLS is bidding goodbye to one of its own stars. Freddy Adu, the young Ghanian-American midfielder who captained the U.S. Under-20 selection, has reached a deal with Portuguese club Benfica that will see him playing for the side this season.
MLS deputy commissioner Ivan Gazidis announced today that Adu and his agent, Richard Motzkin, arrived in Lisbon on Monday to confirm the agreement, The parties came to a $2 million transfer agreement that saw Adu train with the club on Tuesday.
“Freddy, when we signed him, was one of most talented young players in the world. I think, today, he still is one of most young talented players in the world,” Gazidis told the Associated Press.
The agreement marks a new phase in the 18-year-old footballer’s high profile career. Adu made waves at age fourteen when he debuted for the MLS’ DC United, becoming the youngest professional athlete in American history. Adu now faces the monumental task of helping to revitalize Benfica, which was once one of the most powerful sides in Europe but has not won a Portuguese championship in thirteen years.
