Minnesota United on Tuesday addressed its glaring need for strikers one way by signing veteran MLS forward and former U.S. National Team member Juan Agudelo.
Minnesota United seeks to fill striker need by signing MLS veteran Juan Agudelo
The 28-year-old, who spent much of his MLS career with New England, played last season with new MLS franchise Inter Miami, scoring three goals in 14 games.
March 3, 2021 at 12:16AM
He signed a one-year contract with a team option, the club said.
Last year Agudelo, 28, played 14 games and scored three goals with Inter Miami CF. Before that, he played most of his MLS career with New England, scoring 35 goals in 156 regular-season games.
The Loons also will seek to add a starting striker — possibly to a designated player slot — before the MLS season opens April 17 or in the summer transfer period.
Agudelo started his pro career as a homegrown player for New York Red Bulls. Born in Colombia, he is a U.S. citizen who moved here at age 7. He played for the United States in multiple age group teams, including 28 games with the senior national team.
His relationship with Loons coach Adrian Heath includes a Stoke City connection in the Premier League. That's where Heath started his long playing career. Agudelo signed there in 2014 but never played because of a work-permit issue.
Heath praised Agudelo's ability to play multiple positions.
"You forget he's just 28," Heath said in a club statement. "He seems to have been around for years. … We just think he's going to be another really valuable squad player for what's going to be another really hectic year with the condensed program schedule.
"And for us to bring somebody in who we know can play in the MLS, play three or four positions. He can play through the middle, he can play wide right, wide left. Nothing is going to faze him. … I think he's a really good pickup for us."
Minnesota started only two strikers against Seattle, leaving Sang Bin Jeong and Joseph Rosales to provide the width behind Teemu Pukki and Kelvin Yeboah.
