Maurice Edu is staying put with the Union for the long haul, according to a report out of Philadelphia on Thursday.
Philly.com has reported that the Union have agreed a fee with Stoke City for the versatile defender/midfielder and inked Edu to a multi-year deal that will keep him on the books at PPL Park, with an official announcement expected as soon as Friday.
Edu, 28, joined the Union before the 2014 season on a year-long loan from the English Premier League side, where he was struggling to find regular playing time. He joined the Union with an eye on more minutes and a spot on Jurgen Klinsmann’s US World Cup squad, and while he missed the cut for Brazil, he starred for the Union over 31 regular-season starts, notching three goals and two assists.
Edu played both central midfielder and center back for the Union, and also helped them reach the final of the US Open Cup, the first berth in a tournament title game in club history.
The Union reportedly paid a transfer fee to Stoke for Edu, although those numbers have not yet been reported.
The move to keep Edu should provide some stability to a Union backline that has seen two big changes already this offseason. The club traded fellow center back/midfielder Amobi Okugo to Orlando City last month and loaned goalkeeper Zac MacMath to the Colorado Rapids earlier this week.
