Alejandro Bedoya joins Philadelphia Union from Nantes - sources

ByJeff Carlisle ESPN logo

Thursday, August 4, 2016

U.S. international midfielder Alejandro Bedoya has signed with Major League Soccer and will become a member of the Philadelphia Union, according to multiple sources.

With the Chicago Fire holding the top spot in the league's allocation order for returning MLS players and select U.S. internationals, and also having an interest in signing Bedoya, the Union acquired the player's rights via a sign-and-trade with Fire.

Chicago acquired both general and targeted allocation money, a 2017 first round draft pick and discovery rights on an player whose name not disclosed as well as Philadelphia's spot in allocation order. That spot will now be first, since Philly was sitting at No. 2.

Back in January, the Fire traded away the No. 1 spot in the allocation order to the Colorado Rapids in exchange for the No. 2 spot and two first round draft picks.

The Rapids used the No. 1 spot to acquire U.S. international goalkeeper Tim Howard, thus allowing the Fire to move back into the No. 1 position.

Sources told ESPN FC that Bedoya's move will include a $1 million transfer fee and a salary of $1 million.

Nantes confirmed the transfer on Wednesday via Twitter.

[OFFICIEL] Alejandro Bedoya quitte le #FCNantes @AleBedoya17 @PhilaUnion #GoodLuckBedo https://t.co/yxXz3XQsUo pic.twitter.com/5UMm3N6Sls

- FC Nantes (@FCNantes) August 3, 2016

Bedoya, 29, has spent his entire professional career abroad, emerging as a key figure at Nantes over the past three seasons and a fixture in Jurgen Klinsmann's national team setup with 53 caps after successful stints with clubs in Sweden and Scotland.

In an interview last month with the "Soccer Today" show on ESPN Radio in Dallas (103.3 FM) after the Copa America, Bedoya said he "still obviously prefers to stay in Europe" but did acknowledge at the time that there were "ongoing discussions" about a move to MLS, motivated partly by the desire to raise his young son in the States.

Bedoya signed a contract extension with Nantes in February 2015 that was scheduled to keep him there through the 2018-19 season, but sources say Philadelphia is pushing hard to finalize a move for the midfielder this week as the Union -- currently fourth in the Eastern Conference -- work to solidify their playoff position.