It was Reunion Monday in Major League Soccer, with two high-profile players seeing loans turned into permanent transfers while another player returned from Europe for a second go-round with the MLS team he left.
Atlanta United completed the transfer of Emerson Hyndman on Monday, securing the midfielder’s services on a permanent deal from English Premier League side Bournemouth.
Hyndman spent the second half of the 2019 MLS season on loan with Atlanta United, impressing in Frank DeBoer’s setup. Hyndman made 15 appearances for the Five Stripes, helping Atlanta United win its first U.S. Open Cup title.
The 23-year-old midfielder struggled to break through at Bournemouth after joining the Premier League club from Fulham in 2016.
Now Hyndman will return to Atlanta United in 2020, where he will called on to help fill the void left by the departure of Darlington Nagbe.
Here are some other moves completed around MLS on Monday:
D.C. United completes Hamid transfer
Bill Hamid’s return to D.C. United was a successful one, and now he will be sticking around a bit longer.
D.C. United completed the permanent transfer of Hamid from Danish club FC Mitdjylland on Monday, signing Hamid to a new deal using Targeted Allocation Money after completing a transfer deal that cost a reported $750,000.
Hamid enjoyed a career year in 2019, posting a league-leading 14 shutouts and 77.3 save percentage while on loan from Mitdylland. Having already lost Wayne Rooney and Luciano Acosta this offseason, D.C. United couldn’t afford to also lose its high-profile shot-stopper, and signed him to a deal that will make him one of the highest-paid goalkeepers in MLS.
Saucedo officially joins Liga MX side Pumas
Sebastian Saucedo is officially heading back to Liga MX.
Pumas announced the arrival of the Real Salt Lake homegrown midfielder on Monday, which will be Saucedo’s second stint in Mexico. Saucedo moves to Pumas on a free transfer from RSL.
The 22-year-old scored five goals and added 11 assists in 83 career MLS regular-season appearances, as well as one goal in three MLS Cup Playoffs matches. Saucedo spent the 2016 season on loan with Veracruz from RSL.
Saucedo is in contention to be a part of the U.S. Under-23 Men’s National Team for Olympic Qualifying in 2020. He previously made 19 appearances with the U.S. U-20 MNT from 2015-17′, scoring eight goals.
Pumas finished 13th in the recent Apertura season, four points out of the final playoff spot.
Shelton returns to Sporting KC
Just a year after loving to embark on a stint in Europe, Khiry Shelton has made his way back to Sporting Kansas City.
The Western Conference club announced the signing of Shelton on Monday, bringing him back from Bundesliga side Paderborn.
Shelton left MLS last winter to join the then-German second division club. He helped Paderborn gain promotion to the Bundesliga after a second-place finish in 2.Bundesliga. He struggled for playing time in Bundesliga play this season, managing four appearances, including his Bundesliga debut, which came against Bayern Munich.
Shelton rejoins a Sporting KC side that endured a terrible 2019 season, and a team that is light on striker options. The club has been linked to some high-profile transfer targets, including Alan Pulido and Lucas Cavallini, with head coach Peter Vermes stating the club has the resources to spend on a big-ticket striker.
Shelton can play as a striker, but also gives Sporting KC another option on the wing.
Impact re-sign Jackson-Hamel to new contract
Anthony Jackson-Hamel is staying with the Montreal Impact.
The Eastern Conference club announced Monday they re-signed Jackson-Hamel to a one-year deal, with an option for 2021. A Homegrown player with the club, Jackson-Hamel scored 15 goals in 72 regular-season appearances with the Impact in his career.
“We are happy that Anthony, a Homegrown player who has already played many seasons in MLS, is back with the Impact,” Impact sporting director Olivier Renard said. “We had good talks with him and he accepts the project we proposed. He knows what to do so that this new deal is beneficial for both himself and the club.”
He helped the club win the 2019 Canadian Championship in September, scoring one goal in his lone start in the tournament, in the semifinals against Cavalry FC.
Jackson-Hamel has also scored three goals and added two assists in nine appearances with the Canadian National Team.
The Impact will be led by new head coach Thierry Henry in 2020, looking to return to the MLS Cup Playoffs after missing out last season.
Orlando City adds Colombian midfielder Perea
New Orlando City head coach Oscar Pareja will be welcoming another Colombian-born midfielder to the fold, with Atletico Nacional’s Andres Perea joining the Lions on loan in 2020.
Born in Tampa, Florida but raised in Colombia, Perea played for Colombia at this summer’s Under-20 World Cup. A defensive midfielder, the 19-year-old Perea provides more depth in the middle of the park for Orlando City, which re-signed Spanish midfielder Uri Rosell earlier in the offseason.
Real Salt Lake adds defender Alvin Jones
Alvin Jones is heading to Real Salt Lake.
The brother of fellow Trinidad & Tobago Men’s National Team defender Joevin Jones, Alvin joined Monday from USL Championship side OKC Energy FC.
“We’re happy to add a player of Alvin’s caliber to help make the team better. He’s good on the ball and has good attributes in the attacking third. He’s athletic. He’s strong,” RSL Head Coach Freddy Juarez said. “He’s a national team player and we hope that experience can make us a better team overall.”
Jones, 25, scored one goal and added two assists in 21 matches after signing in mid-April with OKC. He also played with W Connection in Trinidad & Tobago, winning two league titles in six seasons and also participating in the Concacaf Champions League.
He’s also earned 19 caps for the Trinidad and Tobago National Team, scoring one goal against the USMNT in Oct. 2017 in World Cup Qualifying.
And in other news, the new look Chicago Fire only have 15 players, no coach, no designated players, and a bunch of fans wanting to know what the f is going on!!!!!!