By ADAM TROXTELL
Chris Wondolowski appears to have a new striking partner in San Jose.
The Earthquakes announced the signing of Swiss goal scorer Innocent Emeghara as the club’s third designated player on Saturday, pending receipt of his P-1 Visa and International Transfer Certificate.
Emeghara, 25, comes to MLS after scoring five goals in eight appearances for Azerbaijani side Qarabag Agbam during the 2014-15 season.
“It is always good to sign a forward who has the potential to run away from the defense, but also who is clever enough to join in the play,” San Jose head coach Dominic Kinnear said. “He is a good signing for the league and our team. He will be a threat to score every time he steps on the field.”
Prior to his time in Azerbaijan, Emeghara made a name for himself in Europe. He scored seven goals and notched two assists in 17 games for Italian Serie A team Siena, and he also spent time on loan at Livorno.
Before that, Emeghara played for FC Lorient in the French Ligue 1. He played for Swiss Super League club Grasshoppers Club Zurich, tallying 15 goals and 12 assists in 46 games. He has nine caps with the Switzerland National Team, but is originally from Lagos, Nigeria.
“We are excited to sign a player of his quality,” Earthquakes general manager John Doyle said. “He is a player in the prime of his career who has played at the highest levels and we are happy to bring him here on a long-term deal.”
Emeghara joins Wondolowski and Argentinian midfielder Matias Perez Garcia as designated players on the San Jose roster.
No one is innocent!
His mother and his Visa disagrees!
In the US you are innocent until proven guilty.
good one
Hey SBI – is this blog even moderated by a human any more? You like having racial slurs on the blog? Not even a contact email listed. Lame.
What!? Comment must have been deleted or you are smoking the good _____ !
Yep – comment was deleted, but not my response to it.
As a MLS supporter, I want “REAL DP’S”: players that are well known that perform higher level, proven by results playing at stronger leagues, or great performance while playing with their national teams, and continue to perform at that higher level. Instead, having DP’s like: unknown Dutchman that failed in two leagues, or over-the-hill striker that hasn’t scored a goal in two years, or because small transfer. Stranger, how most MLS fans knew that Denilson and Mista would fail right way.
As an mls fan i wouldnt want any of the guys u just mentioned inflated salaries with inflated egos dont make for a good team not to mention inflated ages
This is a DP in MLS 2015??? I’m unimpressed. This must be very disappointing for their fans.
A 25 year old who’s scored 7 goals in 17 games in Serie A? He’s no sure thing, but this certainly seems like the kind of signing that’s good for the league.
i agree. and also, i think dominic kinnear is a good team builder. if dominic kinnear thinks this guy is worth it, he’s probably worth it. that’s what i think.
Who? Never heard of him. And he’s getting a DP salary? Dear lord San Jose has lost it’s way…
Time will tell with this one. He has been in some good leagues, but has also moved a lot. If he is happy in SJ this could be really good. Anyone who draws defenders away from Wondo is very valuable. The staring lineup is pretty good, but depth is again a problem…
MLS is growing and many people want positive moves for the league to grow,like free agency, 4 to 5 dps,higher salary cap and right expansion moves, but there’s also internal problems that MLS needs to get straight and we as fans should pressure those teams to act like a real soccer team.
For example, San Jose is leaving off MLS parity and we all know they will never grow to be a big team or a team to follow, and their owner is a big problem.
Other teams in MLS that need to shape up and stop leaving off the “great” parity in MLS are, dc, Columbus, rapids, chivas died, Philly, rsl and Dallas.
Almost half the league and if your team owner wants to make you happy with a crapy stadium and some odd DPs, that is when you know they don’t know about soccer. So imagine if NASL owners start popping out with 80$ to 100$ million dollar stadium, and sign some odd internationals, then what will be the difference between MLS and NASL.
Look at San Antonios scorpions stadium,compare their stadium to rapids, Montreal, San Jose and Columbus and practically they have a similar soccer high school stadium with odd dps playing for them.
I don’t know what garber thinks about rapids,impact,quakes,Columbus,Dallas, Philly future but besides having a soccer stadium, you need to start pressuring them to go to the next level and that is by elevating the parity now, and ask for teams like rapids or Philly to start acting like real soccer teams of the world.
There’s a reason why soccer leagues have division 2 and 3, not just for promotion and relegation but for those who don’t aspire to big plans.
Even more, what if LA2 and Miami and nycfc end up with some fancy soccer stadium before Vancouver gets their “waterfront” stadium, or Columbus remodels their “historic” stadium or before teams like Philly, rapids, Dallas,Montreal add a real roof cover for their fans.
Probably the most accurate comment I’ve ever read regarding MLS
I’ve been preaching the longest about the stadium they just built. Its perfect for an academy stadium and training facility.
Where’s the real stadium that needs to be built in downtown San Jose? Still holding that plot of land for an Oakland A’s stadium that will never be built?
Do it right MLS. Get rid of these cheap owners. Anything less than a 40,000 seat stadium in prime location with top DP’s does not belong in MLS.
I’m absolutely certain Expansion Geek just responded to his own post with a different pseudonym.
Buhahahahaha. I’d rep you if I could.
Disagree with your assessment of rsl. I’d say that they have been a solid model for teams not wanting to bust the bank. they’ve been one of the most consistent teams/clubs over the past years… fans included.
Should be an exciting year to be a San Jose soccer fan. With the new stadium, coach and this looks like a quality signing.
San Jose ownership is really turning a page.