Philadelphia signs defender Soumare
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The Philadelphia Union signed Bakary Soumare, a former Major League Soccer Defender of the Year finalist, on Tuesday.
The 26-year-old Soumare started his career in MLS with the Chicago Fire, and played 63 games with the squad from 2007-09. He was a finalist for defender of the year and was on the MLS Best XI in 2008, and was an all-star in 2009.
Soumare left Chicago in the middle of the 2009 season to sign with French side Boulogne, and the 6-foot-4 Mali international played 65 matches for the club from 2009-12. He joined German side Karlsruhe in January on loan and appeared in seven games.
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The Union acquired the first spot in the allocation ranking and a second-round pick in the 2013 MLS SuperDraft from Vancouver Whitecaps FC in exchange for their 12th spot in the allocation rankings, a 2013 first-round SuperDraft pick and allocation money.
Philadelphia used the first spot in the allocation rankings to select Soumare, who entered the system because he returned to the league following a stint out of MLS.
Soumare will be eligible to play for the Union on Saturday against the Houston Dynamo.
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Per league and club policy, terms of the agreement will not be disclosed.