PORTLAND, Ore. – The Portland Timbers today announced that the club has acquired Nigerian forward Fanendo Adi on loan from Danish first-division side FC Copenhagen. He will be added to the Timbers’ roster upon receipt of his P-1 visa. Per league and club policy, terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
“Fanendo is a young and ambitious player with UEFA Champions League experience and we feel that his acquisition on short-term loan, with the option to purchase, provides a great opportunity for both the player and our club,” Timbers general manager Gavin Wilkinson said. “This loan allows us to add a quality player into the mix as we are always looking to develop our roster now and in the future.”
Adi, 23, appeared in nine league matches (6 starts) for FC Copenhagen during the 2013-14 Danish Super Ligaen season, scoring three goals, including a tally in his debut for the club in a 1-1 draw against FC Vestsjælland on Aug. 25, 2013. The 6-foot-4 forward also featured in three group-stage matches during the 2013-14 UEFA Champions League tournament, earning a start in a 1-1 draw against Italian club Juventus and making substitute appearances against Real Madrid and Turkish club Galatasaray.
“Adi gives us another striker piece to further strengthen our roster,” said Timbers head coach Caleb Porter. “His air play and ability to hold the ball as more of a target option will complement the qualities of our other players while providing a different dimension to our attack.”
Prior to joining FC Copenhagen, Adi played for Slovakian second-division side AS Trenčín from 2009-11, registering 18 league goals in 41 matches. He tallied 11 goals during the 2010-11 season, helping AS Trenčín gain promotion to the first division before signing with Ukrainian club Metalurh Donetsk for the remainder of the 2010-11 Ukrainian first-division season.
Adi rejoined AS Trenčín for the 2012-13 season, appearing in 16 matches and scoring three goals. Starting the 2013-14 campaign with the Slovakian side, Adi tallied seven goals in just three league matches, including a pair of hat-tricks. In two separate stints with the club, Adi recorded 27 goals in 60 league matches.
Playing in the 2013-14 UEFA Europa League tournament, Adi tallied a brace to lead AS Trenčín to a 2-1 win against Swedish side IFK Göteborg in the deciding second-leg match of the second qualifying round. He registered another goal in the second leg of the third qualifying round as AS Trenčín played to a 2-2 draw with Romanian club Astra Giurgiu, falling 5-3 on aggregate.
Adi will occupy an international slot on the Timbers roster.
Fanendo Adi
Pronunciation: fah-NEN-doe ah-dee
Position: Forward
Height: 6-4
Weight: 185
Born: Oct. 10, 1990, in Lagos, Nigeria
Last Club: FC Copenhagen
College: n/a
Citizenship: Nigeria
Acquired: Acquired on loan from Denmark’s FC Copenhagen on May 13, 2014.
