Philadelphia Union sign Adam Najem after acquiring rights from Red Bulls

The Philadelphia Union announced Wednesday the club has signed midfielder Adam Najem, last with Akron University, after acquiring the right of first refusal from the New York Red Bulls in exchange for a second round 2018 SuperDraft pick.

“We are excited to acquire the rights to Adam and sign him as a member of Philadelphia Union,” club sporting director Earnie Stewart said in a statement. “He is a player that has shown his abilities throughout our preseason. Adam is a player that provides depth for us and we are thrilled to see what he will bring to our club.”

Najem, 22, joins the club after making 89 appearances for Akron, scoring 33 goals and adding 29 assists. He was considered a Homegrown Player by the Red Bulls, but the club did not reach a deal with the player and his rights were thus traded to the Philadelphia Union – though there is some confusion about whether Homegrown Player rights can be traded.

In any case, Najem now joins the Union, where he will compete with the likes of Maurice Edu and Alejandro Bedoya for a starting spot in Jim Curtin’s lineup.