Former Mexico international and Chivas forward Omar Bravo is set to sign with USL side Phoenix Rising, sources tell Goal USA.
The 36-year-old signed on loan with the Carolina RailHawks of the NASL in August and scored four goals in 14 appearances for the club in the fall season. The club announced Thursday that it could not come to terms with Chivas to extend the loan.
Thank you, Omar Bravo.
— North Carolina FC (@NorthCarolinaFC) February 2, 2017
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Bravo then returned to Mexico, where rumors linked him with a stay at Chivas or a move to UDG, a second-division club in Guadalajara.
Instead, sources say, Bravo is set to return to to the second tier of the U.S. system, this time in the newly Division 2 USL. Fox Sports Mexico first reported the move Friday afternoon. The club is set to announce the move next week.
In addition to his record goal haul with Chivas, Bravo scored 15 times for the Mexican national team, winning two Gold Cups with El Tri, and played outside Liga MX in Spain for Deportivo La Coruna and in MLS with Sporting Kansas City.
Phoenix Rising was known as Arizona United last season, but the club rebranded during the offseason. The team's new ownership group also announced plans to play in a soccer-specific stadium in Scottsdale, Arizona, the East Valley of the Phoenix region. The team, led by former MLS coach Frank Yallop, previously played in a spring training baseball stadium in Peoria, located in the West Valley.
Long Tan scored 10 of the team's 40 goals as it finished 13th out of 15 teams in the league's Western Conference. Tan returned to his native China to suit up for Changchun Yatai.
The club will hope Bravo can fortify the attack but also provide a boost in interest for the club, which submitted an expansion application to MLS earlier this week.
