IRVINE, Calif. – Orange County SC announced on Tuesday it had re-signed forward Sean Okoli as it prepares for the 2022 USL Championship season, retaining the former Championship MVP after his midseason move a season ago to return to the club. The transaction is pending league and federation approval.

Okoli joined Orange County midway through the 2021 season after a transfer from Austin Bold FC. The 29-year-old notched one goal and one assist in 16 regular-season appearances for the side, giving him four goals and two assists overall for the campaign.

A former U.S. youth international, Okoli made his debut in the Championship for Orange County while on loan from Seattle Sounders FC in the 2014 season. In 2016 he made the move to FC Cincinnati for the club’s inaugural season and had a breakout campaign that saw him record 16 goals to claim the Championship’s Golden Boot and Most Valuable Player award. The following year he joined New York City FC of Major League Soccer before a stint in Europe that saw him play in Sweden, Norway and Austria.

In 2020, Okoli returned to Orange County and recorded seven goals and two assists in 15 appearances during the abbreviated season. Over his career, he has recorded 29 goals and seven assists in 79 regular season appearances in the Championship, while having made more than 125 appearances in the professional ranks overall.