Philadelphia Union announce signing of Kenyan international midfielder Richard Odada

Kenyan international midfielder Richard Odada is heading to the Philadelphia Union.

The Philadelphia Union confirmed the signing Tuesday of the 21-year-old from Red Star Belgrade in Serbia. The transfer fee was not disclosed but it’s been reported to be $220,000.

“Richard is a holding midfielder with positional versatility and a great potential to be a valuable contributor as we continue to develop our roster,” Philadelphia Union Sporting Director Ernst Tanner stated in a news release. “He can play multiple midfield roles as well as centerback, and he has the height, speed, and physicality we were searching for. We look forward to integrating him this year and encouraging his development for the future.”

Odada comes to Philadelphia from the top flight Serbian SuperLiga, where he played for Red Star Belgrade, making two appearances. In 2020, he was sent out on loan to RFK Grafičar Beograd where he recorded three assists in 25 appearances (22 starts). In 2021, Odada was loaned to first-tier side FK Metalac Gornji Milanovac, making 27 total appearances (18 starts) for the Serbian side, before rejoi ning RFK Grafičar Beograd on loan in 2022.

Internationally, Odada has earned five caps for Kenya’s Men’s National Team. His first senior call up was in September 2021, ahead of a pair of World Cup qualifier matches, where he made his debut in a scoreless draw against Uganda on September 2, 2021. Odada scored his first international goal in a 2-1 win against Rwanda on November 15, 2021.