Juan Agudelo near deal to return to MLS, Revolution

Juan Agudelo is nearing a move back to MLS and the New England Revolution, according to Goal. the American striker has been without a club for eight months and while there have been reports of interest from European clubs -- 1860 Munich was the latest -- he now looks set to have another go at MLS.

Agudelo left the Revolution a year ago to join Stoke City, but his work permit appeal was denied so he spent the spring of 2014 on loan at FC Utrecht in the Eredivisie. After a nice run there, Agudelo and Stoke thought they would be successful in appealing for a work permit, but he was denied yet again and the Potters gave up, releasing him. Ever since, he has been looking for a new club, but has not joined one.

Because Agudelo left the Revolution on a free transfer and New England did not sell him, they maintained his MLS rights. If he was going to return to the league, he would either have to do so with the Revs, or another team would have to work out a trade with the Revs to get him.

It looks like the Revolution want Agudelo, and apparently he is willing to return to the club so that makes things easy. New England went all the way to the MLS Cup final last season and are considered one of the best teams in the league heading into the 2015 campaign. But as good as the Revs look, they weren't especially good up top. Charlie Davies is their starting striker, but he struggled until the playoffs and Agudelo can certainly push him, if not surpass him.

By the time the MLS season starts in March, it will have been 10 months since Agudelo last played a match. That's an eternity, especially for a developing 22-year-old, but he is still plenty talented and can be a very good player in MLS. If he can do that, and jump Davies to become the Revs' starting striker, he may get back into the United States national team picture too.