Former Toronto FC captain Darren O’Dea is interested in returning to MLS.
The 28-year-old Irish international told the Football in Europe podcast early last week that he’s spoken with “a few teams” about moving back to MLS this winter. While he’s interested in returning to North America, O’Dea indicated that a move back to MLS is far from a sure thing, with the veteran center back saying he “would find it difficult to make a deal work out there.”
“Obviously, it’d be a big move for my family, but I have spoken to a few teams out there and it’s a league I obviously know well and a league I absolutely love,” he said.
“But it’s more complicated than just skyping a deal between me and the club. I obviously have other people to think about, with my wife and my daughter.”
O’Dea initially joined Toronto in August 2012, making 26 league appearances with the club before leaving in July 2013 to sign with Ukrainian side Metalurh Donetsk. He only lasted one year there, terminating his contract with Donetsk in August 2014 due to the unrest in Ukraine.
He latched on with English Championship club Blackpool in December 2014, and played 20 times for the team before being released at the end of the 2014-15 season. He’s spent the last three months playing for Indian Super League club Mumbai City, but his contract there is set to expire on Tuesday.
O’Dea has made 20 career appearances with the Irish national team, but hasn’t appeared on the international level in over two years.
