Nigeria midfielder Alhassan Yusuf has swapped the Belgian league for the Major League Soccer (MLS) after joining New England Revolution.
The Revs confirmed the signing of Yusuf on Monday. The 24-year-old joined the club using the season-ending injury replacement mechanism and has put pen to paper on a three-year contract with an option to extend for a further year.
Yusuf enjoyed a trophy-laden spell in Belgium after signing for Royal Antwerp in 2021. The Nigerian helped the club to win the league, Belgian Cup and Belgian Super Cup during his time there.
However, his game time significantly reduced last season, where, despite making 30 Pro League appearances, he averaged just 59 minutes per game. This, coupled with Royal Antwerpβs financial constraints, led to both club and player seeking a parting of ways.
New England Revolution manager describes Yusuf as elite midfielder
Yusuf was linked to some Premier League clubs in January but has now opted to move to the United States (US) after joining New England Revolution.
Revs manager Caleb Porter believes the signing of the former IFK Goteborg midfielder is a testament to the clubβs ambition to challenge for trophies. He also praised Yusufβs attributes, describing him as a player with all the qualities a manager would look out for.
“With his international and Champions League experience, I expect Alhassan Yusuf to quickly establish himself as an elite midfielder in Major League Soccer,” Porter told the clubβs official website.
“Yusuf is an athletic, box-to-box central midfielder who has all the qualities we look for in our double pivots. He is very complete on both sides of the ball and will bring ball-winning defensively and verticality to our attack. Alhassan Yusuf is another addition who is in the prime of his career and has championship pedigree.”
Yusuf made his international debut earlier this year and was part of the Nigeria side that secured a runners-up finish at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
