Major Soccer League side Philadelphia Union have extended the contract of Ghanaian-born American forward Charles Nana Kwabena Sapong, the club announced on Wednesday.
The 29-year-old will remain at the club until 2019 with an option for a further year.
“We are pleased to complete this agreement with CJ, a critical part of the spine of our team,” said Union sporting director Earnie Stewart in a club release.
“He fits perfectly in our system with his nose for goal and his hold-up play. We’d like to thank him for his hard work and commitment to the Philadelphia Union and we look forward to working with him for years to come.”
“He fits perfectly in our system with his nose for goal and his hold-up play. We’d like to thank him for his hard work and commitment to the Philadelphia Union and we look forward to working with him for years to come.”
Sapong, 29, set the Union’s all-time record for goals in a season in 2017 (16), the best haul of his professional career and level with Sebastian Giovinco for eighth-most in MLS.
Sapong originally entered MLS as the 10th overall pick by Sporting Kansas City in the 2011 MLS SuperDraft. Over four seasons in KC, the Manassas, Virginia native and James Madison University product helped Sporting win the 2012 US Open Cup and 2013 MLS Cup before moving to Philly in a 2015 trade. Since then he has scored at least seven goals in each of his three seasons with the Union.
Internationally, Sapong has registered four caps with the US national team, most recently recording an assist in a 1-1 draw with Portugal in November and starting in the January friendly vs. Bosnia & Herzegovina.