New England Revolution have signed striker Jozy Altidore on a deal through 2024, capturing the USMNT international via free agency ahead of the 2022 Major League Soccer campaign.
The veteran forward, a two-time U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year, arrives at Gillette Stadium following seven seasons with Toronto FC, with whom he was a three-time MLS Cup finalist, winning in 2017.
Altidore, also an international centurion with 115 senior caps for his country since 2007, has suffered a few injury-blighted seasons at BMO Field in recent years, but will hope to rediscover his superior form under Bruce Arena, with the pair having previously won the 2017 Gold Cup together.
What has been said?
“I am excited to begin this next chapter with the Revolution and look forward to competing for trophies in New England,” Altidore told the club's official website.
“I am grateful for this opportunity to reunite with Bruce Arena and look forward to getting to work with my team-mates immediately.”
Arena echoed his sentiments, adding: “We welcome Jozy Altidore to the New England Revolution. Jozy is a player we know well and feel confident that he will be an excellent addition to our team.
"I believe Jozy can continue to be an outstanding goalscorer, and we will work hard to get him back to full fitness and in good form over the next couple of months.”
Cult hero set for new adventure
Altidore's move south of the border to Foxborough signals the end of a fruitful tenure at Toronto where the 32-year-old effectively established himself as one of the league's most appreciated players following a lacklustre seven-year spell abroad.
Having broken through at New York Red Bulls, a 2008 move to Villarreal as a teenager failed to yield a serious breakthrough in La Liga, with loan spells at Xerez, Hull City and Bursaspor delivering minimal results.
A famed KNVB Cup triumph with AZ in the Netherlands in 2013 effectively helped reignite his prospects and - following a muted spell at Sunderland - he returned to MLS where he flourished with the Reds.
Even with hit-and-miss domestic success, he was a key cornerstone of successive USMNT sides across the last decade, named in their squads for both South Africa 2010 and Brazil 2014 - and helping them to a Gold Cup triumph in 2017 against Jamaica too.
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