D.C. United managed to hold on to one of their stars, after a reported transfer for Luciano Acosta to European heavyweights Paris Saint-Germain fell through on Thursday.
But even by keeping hold of the Argentine, the club understands the potential emotional fallout for the player and are committed to keeping his spirits high.
Steven Goff reported in The Washington Post on Friday that D.C. head coach Ben Olsen told Acosta, who had traveled to France to finalize a possible deal, “Lucho, go and take a couple days.” But the attacker responded that he wanted to get back to United's preseason: “No, I want to come to Florida."
Acosta, 24, has played three seasons in D.C., scoring 18 goals and 33 assists in 95 MLS regular season appearances. The up-and-comer truly blossomed over the second half of the 2018 season, as Wayne Rooney's arrival led to a sparkling partnership and 2018 MLS Best XI selections for both players.
While Rooney said he would be eager to speak to Acosta to "see where his head is," Olsen insisted the club was eager to welcome Acosta back and take care of him.
“As much as world soccer is about money, it’s still a human business," he said. "The kid was extremely excited when he left, but he is also a smart kid. He will readjust as we all do with disappointment and get back to his job with D.C. United. He knows he has a family here waiting for him.”
You can read the entire story over at The Washington Post.
