Andrew Jacobson, D.C. United’s top pick in the 2008 college draft, has rejected Major League Soccer in favor of the French first division.
Jacobson, 22, has signed a contract with FC Lorient through the end of the current season, a decision confirmed by his family in Palo Alto, Calif.
He had been scheduled to join United today for training camp in Bradenton, Fla.
“We spoke [Tuesday] and he was arranging his travel,” said United general manager Dave Kasper on Wednesday. “It is surprising.”
The former California-Berkeley midfielder was chosen by United in the second round of the draft with the 24th pick overall. D.C. will retain his rights in MLS for two seasons.
It is the second straight season at least one United draft pick has passed on MLS. Last year, Jay Needham and Luis Robles, third- and fourth-round picks, respectively, turned down United for other opportunities. Needham signed with the Puerto Rico Islanders in the United Soccer Leagues’ first division, and Robles went to Kaiserslautern in Germany.
United’s trip to Florida is the opening leg of the team’s six-week preseason. It precedes the first official match of the season on March 12 in Kingston, Jamaica, against Harbour View in the quarterfinals of the CONCACAF Champions Cup. D.C.’s MLS regular-season opener is March 29 at Kansas City.
D.C. has five exhibition matches planned over the next two weeks in Bradenton. The team heads to California from Feb. 15-25, and will be in San Antonio from Feb. 29-Mar. 10, where it will play against Toronto, Chivas USA and Houston as part of the Texas Pro Soccer Festival.
