Scottish club Dundee United have announced the signing of Kenyan footballer, Richard Odada from MLS club Philadelphia Union.
The Scottish giants confirmed the signing of the former AFC Leopards player in a club statement on its website.
“Dundee United are delighted to announce the signing of Richard Odada from MLS Eastern Conference side Philidelphia Union on a permanent transfer. The Kenyan joins the Terrors on a two-year contract, with a club-held option of an additional year,” the club statement reads.
Richard Odada, 23, played as a midfielder for the Philadelphia Union reserve team in the 2021-22 season. He was loaned to Danish club Aalborg last season, where he made 21 appearances, scoring 4 goals. The 5-capped Kenya international will hope to open a promising chapter in his career with the Scottish outfit after a less-than-stellar career run in Serbian and Danish leagues, including the MLS.
Who is Dundee United’s new signing Richard Odada?
Richard Odada is a Nairobi-born Kenyan professional soccer player, who played for Philadelphia Union in Major League Soccer but is now set for a new chapter with the Scottish club.
The 23-year-old, who plays as a midfielder, began his professional football with AFC Leopards – a Kenyan professional football club, based in Nairobi, and competing in the country’s top-tier football league – The Kenyan Premier League.
Odada was first groomed in AFC Leopards Academy in 2018 before quickly transitioning to the club’s first team the same year. However, he did not make a single appearance for the team at the senior level before he attracted attention from the Serbian club, Red Star Belgrade, also known as Crvena Cvezda.
At Crvena Zvezda, Odada was placed with the club’s U-19s on arrival before being loaned to Grafica Beograd – the club’s affiliated side, used to develop young players.
At Grafica Beograd, Odada impressed in his 24 appearances but it was not enough to earn him a starting role with Red Star Belgrade. The next season in 2021, he was loaned again to Metalac, another Serbian outfit.
At Metalac, he made 27 league appearances. Following a not-so-stellar run in the Serbian league, Odada was sold to Philadelphia Union in 2022 on August 8, 2022. He joined the club on a two-and-a-half-year contract till 2024 with an option for a two-year extension.
He was assigned to the club’s reserve team, where he made only 8 appearances and could not break into the first team. After a season with the reserve team, he was loaned to Aalborg BK, a Danish top side, competing in the country’s top tier – The Danish Superliga.
At Aalborg, Odada would score his first professional club career goal before going ahead to record four goals in 21 appearances.
International career
Odada debuted for Kenya U-20s in 2018, making two appearances for the team, and scoring one goal. He made his Kenya senior national team debut in 2021 and has gone on to win five caps, scoring one goal.
Career stats and honors
Odada tallied 25 appearances for Grafica Beograd in all competitions. At Metalac, his total tally was 28 appearances and 21 with Aalborg. His total professional club career appearance is 78 with 4 goals. In the 2020-21 season, he won the Serbian Superliga with Red Star Belgrade.
Richard Odada Dundee United transfer and contract
Away from Philadelphia Union, Odada is set for a new career chapter with Scottish club Dundee United. Odada’s transfer fee and other details of the contract have yet to be disclosed. However, Dundee United confirmed in a club statement that the player has agreed to a two-year contract with an option for a one-year extension.
