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MLS stalls Union's deal for Edu

Major League Soccer commissioner Don Garber wasn't a popular figure when he was introduced to kick off the SuperDraft festivities at the Convention Center.

Major League Soccer commissioner Don Garber. (Kathy Willens/AP file photo)
Major League Soccer commissioner Don Garber. (Kathy Willens/AP file photo)Read more

Major League Soccer commissioner Don Garber wasn't a popular figure when he was introduced to kick off the SuperDraft festivities at the Convention Center.

With a large contingent of Union supporters from the Sons of Ben fan club, Garber was booed when introduced and it had to do with the stalled negotiations of midfielder Maurice Edu.

There were reports that the Union were ready to sign the 27-year-old Edu to a one-year deal, but that MLS wasn't happy with how much he was being offered, a reported $1.2 million.

Edu, who is the property of Stoke City of the English Premier League, made just one league appearance for the team in 2012-13. He is also a former MLS rookie of the year with Toronto FC and a U.S. National Team veteran.

Garber, speaking after the first round of the draft, said all player signings are approved by MLS.

"In this particular case, we will continue to negotiate a deal that will make sense," he said. "If it makes sense for Maurice, he will come back, if it doesn't he won't be back."

Then Garber continued to talk about the process.

"This whole idea that the league rejected Maurice coming in, we reject deals every day if we don't agree they are the right deals," Garber said. "And in many media reports, they didn't think the salary being bandied around was the right salary, either. We will go back to the drawing board and hopefully get a deal done."

When Garber was asked if the $1.2 million was accurate, he said, "that would perhaps be on the low end."

The sides have until Jan. 31, the end of the transfer window, to make a deal.

"We want to make sure we do what is right for Mo, for the league and financially for the Union and it makes sense," Union CEO Nick Sakiewicz said. "We want him and he wants to be here. The negotiation process is very fluid and unpredictable."