Adu moves on with Benfica after Under -20 star turn

Freddy Adu was seeing some limited playing time at Benfica, but hasn't really figured into new coach José Antonio Camacho's plans. AP

By Jason LaCanfora, Special to SI.com, World Soccer

American starlet Freddy Adu was at his best during this summer's Under-20 World Cup as he captained the United States to the quarterfinals. In the group stage, he hit a hat trick against Poland in the 6-1 victory and set up both goals in the 2-1 defeat of Brazil.

The 18-year-old's performances led to interest from Celtic, Ajax, Tottenham, CSKA Moscow and Benfica, and the latter two both submitted offers that met Major League Soccer's $2 million transfer demand. CSKA's offer was lucrative, sources said, but the Ghana-born player, who emigrated to the U.S. in 1997 when his family won a green card in a lottery, had reservations about the move.

Adu's representatives also rejected Benfica's initial offer -- the stumbling block was personal terms -- but Benfica came back with a new offer, and a deal was struck immediately.

Adu played three full seasons with D.C. United, becoming the youngest professional athlete in modern U.S. history when he made his debut at the age of 14. He was midway through his first season with Real Salt Lake when securing the move to Benfica, which will earn him an annual salary of around $1.2 million.

Adu will also receive 5 percent of his transfer fee, with MLS receiving the same percentage.

World Soccer: What are your impressions of Benfica?

Adu: It's a club with a great history who play at the highest level in Europe and a perfect place to be at this stage of my career. They showed a lot of interest in me and I felt comfortable going there as a soccer player and as a person. I think it's a great chance for me and I'm thankful for it.

World Soccer: You have trained with Manchester United in the past and spoke about having a goal of playing in the Premier League. But is this a more manageable first step?

Adu: Oh yeah, for sure. As much as you love some of the big clubs in the world -- Man U, Chelsea -- and get to talk to some of their players and coaches at friendlies and on tours, you always want to take one step at a time. You need time to develop as a player, to adjust to the style of play, and for me, Spain, Portugal and Holland are the three leagues that I fit better in. They play with a lot of skill and they appreciate skill, and that's my game.

World Soccer: Any regrets about your time in MLS?

Adu: It's a little bittersweet, but I never regret any decisions I've made. I learned a lot in MLS and grew up a lot. Granted, people will say this and that about my play or that I didn't dominate in MLS, but I scored some goals, I contributed to a team that won the MLS Cup [in 2004]. People can say what they want and criticize me. But I think at the Under-20 World Cup, I changed a lot of people's minds. You don't just write off people, especially at age 18. My career hasn't even really started yet.

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