Out at Belenenses: What's Next for Freddy Adu?

It is being reported that Freddy Adu's loan spell at Belenenses is over after the team's new manager, Toni, sent Adu back to Benfica. It should be noted that Adu was not the only casualty in this roster shake-up, as Sevilla loanee Igor was also sent back to his club. Nevertheless, the move puts an end to a loan that was just as unproductive as last year's failed stint at AS Monaco. With playing time not likely to be found at Benfica, the upcoming winter transfer window could likely bring a move that has a big impact on Freddy Adu's floundering career.

Adu is still just 20 years old, so there is still time to turn things around. But if Adu wants to keep his slim hopes of making the 2010 World Cup roster alive, he needs to make a move to a league where he will get consistent playing time. Whether that means a move to a Scandinavian league or a return to MLS or some other avenue remains to be seen, but it does seem as if a big move is on the horizon for the former DC United starlet.

Soccer By Ives does a nice rundown of Adu's potential MLS options. While this may, in the long run, be the best move for his career, it might not be the best move to help Adu make the World Cup roster, given that he would only have a little more than a month of games to make his case to Bob Bradley. Regardless of if he chooses to come back to MLS or decides to stay in Europe, a winter move will likely require Adu to take a paycut, as teams will not be eager to pay $1 million per year for a player who has hardly seen the field over the past one and a half years.

The winter transfer window was already going to be filled with some intrigue for USMNT fans, as Stuart Holden and Ricardo Clark appear to be on the brink of moves to Europe. This bit of news now adds another dimension to the transfer window excitement, as the once-thought future of the USMNT looks to resuscitate a career that has hardly gone according to plan.

USSD's take? If Adu has any kind of indication from Bob Bradley that a successful winter and spring will give him a good opportunity at a World Cup call-up, he would be best served by moving to a smaller team in a mid-level league in Europe where he could get consistent playing time. The Danish Superliga helped Benny Feilhaber turn things around, while a more technical league like the Dutch Eredivisie might suit Adu's playing style a little better. Other leagues that might be possibilities would be those in Belgium and Sweden, where Oguchi Onyewu and Charlie Davies first made their names in Europe, respectively.

If Adu does not have that kind of indication, and it would surprise me if he did, it might be best to think long-term at this point and forget about the 2010 World Cup. A return to MLS helped a young Landon Donovan to revive a stalled career, and it could very well do the same for Adu. While it would require a significant financial hit in the immediate future, it might ultimately help to extend his career (and, consequently, increase his future earnings) if he can return to form and show off the ability that at one point made him a target of some of Europe's most recognizable names.

Check USSD for updates in the coming days and weeks, as the Freddy Adu transfer rumors will surely begin to swirl.