On the heels of Taylor Twellman’s tweet Sunday evening, FC Cincinnati announced they will introduce their first MLS-rostered players at a press conference on Monday.
In attendance will be Managing Owner & CEO Carl Lindner III, President & General Manager Jeff Berding, Technical Director Luke Sassano, Head Coach Alan Koch, and the first two MLS-rostered players.
According to Taylor Twellman, those players are widely expected to be Portland Timbers Designated Player Fanendo Adi, and Fatai Alashe of the San Jose Earthquakes.
Hearing @fccincinnati will announce 2 new signings from @MLS…Fanendo Adi & Fatai Alashe will be in Cincinnati to finish the 2018 @USL season. #MLS #MLSALLSTAR
— Taylor Twellman (@TaylorTwellman) July 29, 2018
Both players are expected to suit up for the Orange & Blue for the remainder of the 2018 USL season before making the move to MLS in 2019.
Adi announced that he was leaving the Timbers after Saturday’s match after he reportedly asked for a trade. With a guaranteed compensation in 2018 of $1,933,33.33, the Nigerian forward would be FC Cincinnati’s first Designated Player in club history. His 54 career goals with the Timbers ranks second in club history but his form has dipped in 2018 netting just three times in new coach Gio Savarese’s system.
Alashe was the number 4 pick in the 2015 MLS Superdraft and was a member of the U-23 US Men’s National Team. In 2015, he came in second in MLS Rookie of the Year voting and earned a call-up to the 2016 US Men’s National Team January camp. Alashe has 85 appearances with the Earthquakes in four seasons. Recently Alashe came under controversy when he got into a dust-up with Quakes Head Coach Mikael Stahre. The central defensive midfielder was substituted at halftime after being inserted into the match in the 41st minute. The Earthquakes say that Alashe suffered a groin strain but the 24-year-old was visibly upset and confronted Stahre on the sideline.
These two signings could be a piece of smart business for FC Cincinnati buying two quality players when their stock might be slipping slightly. Adi has been a top player for the Timbers the last five years and should work well up top as a single forward in Alan Koch’s 4-3-3/ 4-2-3-1 system. He has shown that he is one of the best natural finishers in Major League Soccer and at 27, Koch will look to get him back to his peak in the prime of his career. Alashe was known as one of the more promising young central midfielders in the US system a couple years ago. Getting out of San Jose with a change of scenery could be just what the doctor ordered.
Stay tuned to CincinnatiSoccerTalk.com and catch us live tomorrow night at 9 pm as we cover the latest in FC Cincinnati summer transfer window news.
@bradleysweigel for @CincySoccerTalk