D.C. United has signed its fourth-ever Designated Player, acquiring forward Hamdi Salihi on Thursday.
The 28-year-old Salihi joins United after scoring 163 goals in 289 games across all competitions in his career, according to D.C. United's press release. He is fresh off of scoring 11 goals in 15 matches in all competitions with Rapid Vienna in its current season in Austria's top division.
Born in Shkoder, Albania, Salihi is also a member of his country's national team. He has scored nine times in 37 appearances on the international level, with three of those goals coming in 2011.
At United, Salihi will be reunited with midfielder Branko Boskovic, the club's only other designated player. The two played together at Rapid Vienna.
Salihi joins Boskovic, Luciano Emilio and Marcelo Gallardo as the only Designated Players in D.C. United's history.
What do you think of United signing Salihi as a DP? Think Salihi will do well, or do you see him struggling? Wondering how many of his 163 goals you can find on YouTube?
Share your thoughts below.
Any attendance problem can be explained without laying fault on the citizens though. After hearing for years that DCU fans were amazing and would show up through thick and thin, they’re now towards the bottom of the league after not winning a trophy in a few years. I fail to see how the Rapids playing outside the city with mediocre owners or RBNY never having won anything and having questionable branding implicates their fans, but DCU fans are immune.
^^^^^^^
This right here
DeRo is like Jaime Moreno–superbly skilled players who set up other players and are capable of creating their own chances. These are players who you want with the ball at their feet. And in order to get them the ball as often as possible, you sometimes pull them away from goal.
DeRo can certainly finish (as could Moreno) but in my book that doesn’t put him in a finisher role but more of a playmaker who sets up others and also creates his own chances. To me, the best example of a really good finisher is Gerd Muller. I once watches him play a match were he had exactly 3 touches on the ball the entire match (and one of those was the opening kickoff) but he scored two one-touch goals. A finisher doesn’t require multiple touches in order to score consistently.
This signing has me very excited! i have a good feeling about united this season
a scorer is a scorer anywhere
DCU has a problem with a stadium because of cheap owner…Just like New England, the fanbase is there
De Ro is not a finisher???
Allsopp has done well for his team in the A-League…It’s about the right fit, not the league that makes a player.
dorks ranking leagues again like they have ever seen an Austrian team play….
Whoops. Thought you meant DeRo and BB. What war are you referring to, pray tell.
What are you talking about. They haven’t ever played together.
I believe they are working on a contract extension. Also Pontius had a nice year too, and Hamid permanently took over GK, so DeRo wasn’t the only bright side.
Salume
i hope there isn’t another war between him and branko. didn’t mgt consider this?