Kenyan Footballer Richard Odada Signs for American Side Philadelphia Union

American soccer club Philadelphia Union has signed Kenyan footballer Richard Odada from Serbian side FK Crvena Zvezda for an undislosed fee.

The 21-year-old Harambee Stars defensive midfielder penned a two-and-a-half-year contract with the Major League Soccer (MLS) outfit with an option for a third and fourth year.

Odada is yet to be included in his new club’s roster as they are still waiting for his International Transfer Certificate and P1 Visa.

“Richard is a holding midfielder with positional versatility and a great potential to be a valuable contributor as we continue to develop our roster,” said Philadelphia Union Sporting Director Ernst Tanner.

He continued: “He can play multiple midfield roles as well as center back, and he has the height, speed and physicality we were searching for. We look forward to integrating him this year and encouraging his development for the future.”

Odada, who also holds Serbian citizenship, made his debut Harambee Stars against Uganda during the World Cup Qualifier in 2021. He scored his first international goal on November 15th, 2021 in a 2-1 win against Rwanda.

He has now joined former Harambee Stars captain Victor Wanyama in MLS. Wanyama, who previously played for Southampton and Tottenham Hotspur in the English Premier League, currently captains CF Montreal.

Philadelphia currently tops the 14-team MLS table with 45 points from 23 matches.