TRANSFER TRACKER STATUS:Extension
Orlando City forward Tesho Akindele has signed a contract extension that includes options for the 2022 and 2023 seasons, the club announced Friday. Akindele's previous contract was set to end after the 2021 season.
Akindele, 28, joined the Lions ahead of their 2019 season, following current EVP of soccer operations Luiz Muzzi over from FC Dallas.
“We are very excited to have Tesho continue with us in Orlando,” Muzzi said of the new deal. “He has shown true leadership both on and off the field since his arrival, as well as an innate goalscoring ability. Tesho is a very important piece on our roster and a role model for our youth. We look forward to seeing his continued involvement with the growth of all aspects of our club.”
The 2014 MLS Rookie of the Year with Dallas, Akindele enjoyed his most productive MLS season yet following his move to Orlando, setting career highs in starts (22), minutes (1,880) and goals (10). He is now also reunited with his former FCD head coach Oscar Pareja, who took over at the club ahead of the 2020 season. Akindele has featured in all three of Orlando's 2020 games so far, starting the first two before coming off the bench in their 2-1 win over Inter Miami to open the MLS is Back Tournament.
Prior to his time with the Lions, Akindele had spent all of his first five seasons at Dallas, after he was sixth overall in 2014 out of the Division II Colorado School of Mines. In that time, he appeared in 142 matches with 71 starts, scoring 27 goals and recording eight assists. Internationally, Akindele has represented Canada since 2015, earning 17 caps and scoring three goals.
