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Juan Agudelo is a New England Revolution player. Again.
The 22-year-old striker has signed a contract with MLS and re-joined the Revolution, ending an eight-month stretch in which he did not have a club. It's a big move for Agudelo, who needed nothing more than to have a team and to play again, wherever it was and for whoever.
Agudelo left the Revolution on a free transfer a year ago and signed with Stoke City, but his appeal for a work permit was denied so he went to FC Utrecht on loan. After a good five months there, Agudelo appealed for a work permit again, but it was turned down once more and Stoke cut ties with the player. Ever since, he has been searching for a new club.
It was only eight months ago that Agudelo had put together a good few months in the Eredivisie, and that came after a good stretch run for the Revolution in the fall of 2013. He was starting to show the more well-rounded game and consistency people envisioned for him when he became the youngest goalscorer in United States national team history at 17 years old. There was even talk he would get another look from the national team, but his not having a club and not playing killed that.
The Revolution could use Agudelo. They're thin up top, with Charlie Davies the starter, but Davies struggled for most of the season until coming on strong late. If Agudelo can regain the form he showed with Utrecht, he should become the New England starter before long, making a team that is already an MLS Cup contender that much stronger. If he does that, a national team call-up may not be far behind either.