Paid Their Dues: Berry on trial with Cosmos

Former MLS Rookie of the Year Austin Berry is on trial with the New York Cosmos, according to the New York-based Empire of Soccer. He will travel with the team to Hong Kong, where they have a friendly scheduled.

Austin Berry (#PhilaUnion) and Attakora (former #TorontoFC) joining #NYCosmos for trip to Hong Kong. #DOOP #MLS #NASL

— Dave Martinez (@EmpireOfSoccer) February 11, 2015

Berry is still under contract with MLS, but this is an indication that he will not be playing for the Philadelphia Union in 2015. The former Chicago Fire defender was acquired by the Union at around this time last year. He was an opening day starter for the team, but an injury forced him off the field in just his second game in a Union kit. He struggled to remain healthy through the remainder of the season and neither John Hackworth nor Jim Curtin thought he merited a spot in the XI.

While Berry was certainly not highly rated by John Hackworth, who acquired Berry and then benched him in place of Aaron Wheeler, he was even lower on the center back totem pole whittled by Jim Curtin. Steven Vitoria, Maurice Edu, and Ethan White outrank the Berry in terms of roster depth, but it is the emergence of Richie Marquez that has caused him to lose his roster spot. In this interview with Scott Kessler, Curtin talked up all of his center backs with the exception of Berry.

All signs point to a loan or transfer materializing in the near future, as Austin Berry's time with the Union is set to come to an end.