HARTFORD, Conn. – Hartford Athletic announced on Thursday the club had signed midfielder Anderson Asiedu ahead of the 2024 USL Championship season. The transaction is pending league and federation approval.

Asiedu comes to Hartford after five seasons with fellow USL Championship club Birmingham Legion FC. One of Legion FC’s originals from its inaugural 2019 season, Asiedu ranks fourth in club history with 117 appearances across the regular season and playoffs and recorded three goals, eight assists while posting a tackle success rate of 69.1 percent and a passing accuracy rate of 84.4 percent.

“Anderson is an experienced player that is well versed in the league. Having battle tested USL players is important to any roster in this league,” said Hartford Athletic CEO Nick Sakiewicz. “He is a true professional who has an outstanding work ethic and attitude and demonstrated consistent ability to step up in key moments for his team. We look forward to welcoming him to Hartford.”

A native of Dormaa Ahenkro, Ghana, Asiedu moved to New Jersey as a 16-year-old to play for St. Benedict’s prep school in 2014. He won a state and national championship, then went on to play collegiately at both Monmouth University and UCLA. After a stellar collegiate career that saw him make the All-Pac-12 Second Team in consecutive seasons, he was drafted by Atlanta United FC in the 2019 MLS SuperDraft. He began his professional career in the USL Championship with Atlanta United 2 that season before being signed by Birmingham in July.

Analysis

Anderson Asiedu has been one of the most consistent central midfielders in the Championship, and had a career year in 2022 when he graded out with a +6.33 Goals Added mark, second only to Aaron Molloy among defensive midfielders per American Soccer Analysis. Those numbers diminished in the past campaign as Asiedu was in some ways surpassed in the lineup by United States U-17 international Matthew Corcoran, reducing his minutes below 2,000 in the regular season and playoffs.

The 27-year-old will arrive in Hartford, then, with something to prove as part of a roster aiming for a major turnaround from the past campaign under new Head Coach Brendan Burke. If Asiedu can regain his form from two seasons ago, the Athletic will have a very valuable part of that rebuild in their lineup.