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He’s Baaaaack

Photo credit: Chris Aduama/aduamaphotography.com

Photo credit: Chris Aduama/aduamaphotography.com

Get ready for the return of Swagudelo.

Days after reports of his imminent – and surprising – return to Foxborough surfaced, the Revolution have brought back forward Juan Agudelo on a new deal.

Agudelo confirmed the news via Twitter on Thursday. ESPNFC.com reported on Tuesday that the length of the agreement is four years, and later confirmed that Agudelo had signed his contract – which was not a Designated Player deal – on Thursday.

Agudelo, 22, was acquired from Chivas USA in May 2013 for allocation money, and scored seven goals and added one assist in 14 games for the Revolution in 2013. His impact on the club’s offense was undeniable: in the 14 games he played, the Revolution scored 2.14 goals per game, but averaged nearly a full goal less (1.25) in the 12 games he missed due to hamstring and knee injuries.

While Agudelo had no problems putting the ball in the back of the net, his remarkable hold-up play also allowed Diego Fagundez to score a team-best 13 goals. Kelyn Rowe was another beneficiary of Agudelo’s presence, as he scored seven goals and recorded a team-best eight assists.

Thanks to the physical forward’s efforts, the local XI reached the playoffs for the first time in four years, but his spell in New England was short-lived. In August 2013, he signed a future contract with EPL side Stoke City, and formally joined the club for training in January.

But his work permit application was denied, and he was subsequently loaned to Dutch side Utrecht through May 2014. But the ongoing work permit situation led Stoke to let Agudelo walk, and thus he never suited up for the Potters. He briefly resurfaced in the U.S. while training with Orlando City during the summer, despite the fact that the Revolution still owned his MLS rights.

The addition of Agudelo brings the Revolution roster to 22. The club will play its first preseason scrimmage on Saturday against Real Salt Lake at Grande Sports Complex in Casa Grande, Ariz.

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