Freddy Adu’s new club set to be Sandecja Nowy Sacz… who play in the Polish second division
- Former child prodigy - now 27 - is a free agent after his deal with the Tampa Bay Rowdies ran out
- He signed a pro deal with DC United aged just 14 and was wanted by Chelsea and Manchester United
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FREDDY Adu's disastrous career has hit a new low... with the one-time child prodigy set to sign for a club in the Polish second division.
Adu was dubbed the 'new Pele' when he turned professional at the age of 14 but his career fizzled out before it ever got going.
He failed to land a contract last month after a trial with the Portland Timbers and is now weighing up an offer from minnows Sandecja Nowy Sacz from the Polish second division.
Reports from Poland claim he is due to undergo a medical this week and will sign for the club once that has been completed.
The side play their home gamea st the Father Wladyslaw Augustynka stadium, which has a capacity of just 5,000.
They are currently seventh in the Polish second division.
However football website Goal.com claim the former USA international is also considering an offer from an unspecified club in Asia.
Adu began his professional career at age 14 with MLS side DC United, and was immediately hailed as the first superstar of football in America.
MLS marketing men dubbed him the 'new Pele' and for a while it seemed he would justify the hype, winnning his first cap at the age of 16 years in January 2006.
In November that year Adu had a trial with Manchester United for a fortnight, but he was not able to gain a work permit and so could not play in any competitive games.
However it turned sour quickly for the young midfielder.
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He was sold to Real Salt Lake, then joined Benfica in 2007 for just £1.5million.
Since then he has been around the block several times, at Monaco, Philadelphia Union, Brazilian side Bahia, Portugal's Belenenses, Turkish club Caykur Rizespor, Serbian club FK Jagodina and Kuopion Pallosuera in Finland among others.
Everything that I’ve been through and everything that hurt my career, I brought it on myself because I didn’t dedicate enough time to it
Freddy Adu
He signed with the Tampa Bay Rowdies of the NASL in 2015, but after a promising first season with the club, Adu was left on the bench in favour of former Chelsea and England star Joe Cole for the 2016 season.
He left the Rowdies having just played 13 league matches for the club
Adu spent a few weeks on trial with the Portland Timbers at the end of January, but didn't do enough to earn a contract.
Adu admitted in an interview with Goal.com a year ago that he has no one but himself to blame for failing to fulfil the potential he showed.
"I’ve had some tough times in my career. I’ve had some great times as well," he said.
"In the end, I can’t control what people say. It wasn’t my choice or decision to be compared to Pele when I came into the league.
"Everything that I’ve been through and everything that hurt my career, I brought it on myself because I didn’t dedicate enough time to it.
"You can say, ‘Oh, I had a lot too early,’ or say whatever you want.
"But at the end of the day we all need to grow up at some point.
"I’ve looked back on these past few years and I’ve wasted a lot of time, wasted years of my career, just not dedicating the time I should have to the sport.
"That’s time wasted. Lucky for me, I started so early that time wasted doesn’t mean I’m 33 or 34 and it’s too late for me.
"I’m only 26 and I can change and correct the things I’ve done wrong, and that’s what I’m focused on right now."