SAN ANTONIO – San Antonio FC announced on Thursday it had signed forward Juan Agudelo ahead of the 2024 USL Championship season. The transaction is pending league and federation approval, and per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Agudelo brings more than 14 years of professional experience to SAFC, having spent the past two years playing for Birmingham Legion in the USL Championship. In two seasons with Legion FC, he appeared in 62 matches, including 55 starts, registering 4,710 minutes while tallying 12 goals and 11 assists.

“We are thrilled to bring Juan Agudelo to the team,” said SAFC Head Coach Alen Marcina. “He brings substantial experience playing in high-pressure games, and throughout his career he has demonstrated an all-in commitment to his teammates and the team identity. Juan is a great human being, a leader and a physically dominant attacker with a diverse skillset, which we feel will thrive in our environment.”

Agudelo has represented the United States at the full international level, recording 28 caps from 2010-18. Additionally, Agudelo has also represented the United States at multiple youth international levels, including his participation in the 2009 U-17 World Cup.

Analysis

Juan Agudelo’s arrival at San Antonio FC for the 2024 campaign might be one of the more eyebrow-raising moves so far of the offseason. The veteran forward has shown promise as a creative forward in his past two seasons with Birmingham Legion FC but has underperformed in his finishing. Agudelo’s 12 goals came off an Expected Goals mark of 16.95xG.

That could be reason for hope for SAFC fans that the veteran’s form will rebound, but he also seems an ill fit for the high-pressure system that Alen Marcina aims to employ. Agudelo recorded only 38 instances of possession won in the attacking third in 65 appearances for Birmingham Legion FC, although he earned a +1.36 mark in interrupting in his overall +6.19 Goals Added mark via American Soccer Analysis. We’ll see how this goes.