Jurgen Locadia’s stay in Cincinnati has been extended.
On Friday, FC Cincinnati general manager Gerard Nijkamp announced that the Dutch striker’s loan from Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion has been extended for one year.
“I am very pleased and happy that Jurgen will stay for at least one more year at FC Cincinnati and be successful for his team and himself,” Nijkamp said.
The interruption of the MLS season due to the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting lost revenues for all clubs put into question whether FCC was willing to rework the deal with Brighton for a reported $10 million. The deal was due to expire on July 5.
The thought that FCC could lose such a dynamic talent after just two matches added to fans’ stress during the lockdown. But, Locadia’s desire to remain with Cincinnati offered a boost and kickstarted the negotiations.
“My first experiences in MLS (have) been great,” Locadia told MLSsoccer.com last month. “It’s my dream to stay here. It’s my goal.”
Locadia showed his quality from the off, with a goal and a team-leading four shots and three shots on goal in two games. He currently leads all MLS players who have played a minimum of 40 minutes with 6.21 shots per 90 minutes.
“He showed his potential and his quality already, by scoring a goal and doing very good things with the team,” Nijkamp said. “Especially in the game against Atlanta, he wasn’t showing it just with goals and assists, he was very valuable in that game for the team with what he did in ball possession.”
Nijkamp would not divulge the financial terms of the new deal. The clubs agreed to push the end date of the original loan out to June 30, 2021. FC Cincinnati will still hold a permanent transfer option at the conclusion of the new loan date.
Locadia is classified as both a designated player and an international player on the FCC roster. Should FCC choose to exercise the permanent transfer option, Locadia would receive a two-and-a-half year deal running through December 31, 2023.
Locadia, 26, rejoined full team training sessions on Friday at Mercy Health Training Center in Milford. The club is expected to train there through next week then depart for Orlando on June 29 to continue preparations for the MLS is Back Tournament which begins July 8.
Nijkamp said on Friday that details about the match schedule and when FCC will play are still undecided. But he is looking forward to seeing how Locadia fares under the guise of new head coach and former Manchester United defender Jaap Stam.
“With the new head coach on board, we see a lot of potential,” Nijkamp said. “We are convinced that (Locadia) will be successful in this team. Jurgen will be a very good fit and he showed that already. The combination with him and (Midfielder Siem) De Jong could be a very nice combination.”
Locadia, 26, spent eight seasons at PSV, scoring 45 goals in 127 appearances. He scored four goals over 43 appearances and 22 starts for Brighton before being loaned to Bundesliga side Hoffenheim. If all goes well, Locadia might have found a place where he can thrive in MLS and help with FCC’s move into the West End stadium next year.
“They did everything to get me to Cincinnati in the first place,” Locadia told MLSsoccer.com in May. “I think I showed at least a small bit of my quality in the first two games. I hope they’re happy with it. I hope they find a way to figure something out with Brighton.”
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