According to ESPN’s Marc Stein, the Union are in “advanced talks” to add U.S. men’s national team midfielder Alejandro Bedoya.
Adding Bedoya, 29, would be the culmination of a two-year hunt for the Union, who have been reportedly hot on the USMNT starter since 2015. Last season, the club failed to pry the New Jersey-born player away from FC Nantes of France’s Ligue 1, where he’s been since 2013.
The Union did not have a comment on the report, according to a spokesperson for the team.
To acquire Bedoya, however, the Union would have to move up and over the Chicago Fire, who own the first spot in MLS allocation order. Per Stein, that shouldn’t be an issue.
Snagging Bedoya would send shockwaves through MLS and boost the struggling Union. While they remain within arm’s length of New York City FC for the top spot in the Eastern Conference, the Union have lost four of their last six games and are in desperate need an injection of stability.
But Bedoya also isn’t a clean fit into the Union strategy, as it currently stands. Known as an attacking midfielder and winger, he could either add depth alongside Ilsinho and Sebastien Le Toux, or play in the No. 8 spot left open by Vincent Nogueira, who departed from the team in June.
Bedoya, known for his workrate and technical skill, played with Union midfielder Maurice Edu at Rangers FC in 2011. He’s worked with the USMNT since 2010 and has two goals over 53 appearances. He missed the final cut for the 2010 World Cup but started all four games for the USMNT in the 2014 World Cup.
