As soon as Freddy Adu left Major League Soccer for Europe, his critics said it wouldn’t be long before he came back in failure. But after a successful half-season on loan in Turkey and a resurgent performance with the U.S. at the Gold Cup, Adu is returning in triumph. He reportedly signed with the Philadelphia Union, which will introduce him Friday.
It doesn’t mean Adu will be universally embraced. In fact, by choosing MLS over Europe, the 22-year-old from Potomac is likely to be subjected to as much scrutiny, both fair and unfair, as he endured as a teenage prodigy and U.S. soccer “savior” who first signed with D.C. United at age 14.
Adu handled the pressure when he was invited back to the U.S. team by shying away, putting his Twitter account on hiatus and letting his play do the talking. But in deciding to return to MLS, Adu is boldly choosing to walk back into spotlight that has long sought him.
– Craig Stouffer
