SoccerBlogs

After what was a forgetful 2012 campaign, the Philadelphia Union hoped to get off to a hot start against Orlando City SC in their preseason opener.

The start was certainly not ideal for the Union, who struggled out of the gate. Despite the Union having much of their expected regular season starters in the starting XI, Orlando City supplied most of the pressure in the first half.

As though a transfer saga couldn't get any lengthier or weirder than the Carlos Valdes', the Philadelphia Union have managed to create one in the form of Freddy Adu's own transfer situation.

John Hackworth has done little to beat away questions about Adu's future with the Union, including today.

It's finally official. Carlos Valdes has re-joined Independiente Santa Fe.

The Philadelphia Union, after weeks of speculation and reports in the Colombian and Uruguayan media about a deal, announced a loan of Valdes to Santa Fe. According to Major League Soccer and Union team policy, the terms of the loan, including any potential purchase option or agreed upon transfer fee, were not released.

On its official team website, Independiente Santa Fe announced the signing of Carlos Valdes on a year long loan. Valdes joined Santa Fe after spending two seasons with the Philadelphia Union.

Cesar Pastrana, President of Santa Fe, introduced the newest member of the club in a short statement on independientesantafe.

Carlos Valdes' time with the Philadelphia Union most likely will come to an end today.

The center defender put his name on a loan deal with Independiente Santa Fe yesterday, according to El Tiempo. The news site reported that Valdes was emailed the contract and submitted his signature for approval on Saturday.

Another suitor for Carlos Valdes has emerged after Colombian media once again kept the world abreast of changes in the defender's possible transfer away from the Philadelphia Union.

Futbol Red, a Colombian news outlet, reported that Deportivo Cali - the club of former Union goalkeeper and captain Faryd Mondragon - had entered the Valdes transfer race.

In a surprising move, the Philadelphia Union confirmed ongoing transfer negotiations to the media.

Philly Soccer Page tweeted that a Union spokesperson told the site that the team had received three offers for Carlos Valdes. The only club named by the Union was Santa Fe, who Colombian reports have said will be the team that gets Valdes on loan for a year.

Offseasons have never been dull for the Philadelphia Union.

Two pieces of information about Carlos Valdes' possible move during the Major League Soccer preseason were revealed today. The first was somewhat expected, as reports out of Colombia went back and forth on Valdes going to former club Santa Fe on loan, before claiming that the deal fell apart because the Union refused to accept the terms.

Despite denials by the Philadelphia Union of a transfer, or even discussions with foreign clubs, Carlos Valdes will go on loan to Santa Fe, according to multiple reports out of Colombia.

After Colombian reports pegged Valdes' potential loan at three months or six months, the actual temporary transfer will entail a playing time of one year with Santa Fe, per Atena 2.

The confusing and constantly evolving nature of Carlos Valdes' possible 2013 preseason changed yet again within the past 24 hours.

Reports out of Colombia have said that Valdes' initial period of action with Independiente Santa Fe will start on January 3 and will only consist of training with the team, for the time being.

Typically Twitter has played the role of the medium through which Philadelphia Union players have disclosed transfers, but this time it was straight from the player's mouth, not fingers, on the radio.

Carlos Valdes has been linked to a return to his former club, Santa Fe, and a preseason of playing soccer in Colombia.

Reports have put Carlos Valdes in Santa Fe, awaiting Philadelphia Union approval, but the supposed terms of the loan may kill off any chance of the player and his former team receiving permission for the deal.

Colombian journalist Diego Rueda tweeted today that the Valdes loan deal would send the defender to Santa Fe for six months, or it won't happen.

Forcing his way into the Colombian National Team's starting lineup was the easy part for Carlos Valdes. Now the defender will have to keep himself in the picture as Colombia is headed toward the final stretch of qualifying for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

Reports out of Colombia have indicated that Valdes has chosen to pursue a loan with his former club Santa Fe in order to keep in form and provide Jose Peckerman, the Colombian head coach, with a reason to select him for any friendlies prior to the start of the 2013 Major League Soccer regular season.

Teams seem to be falling by the wayside in the hunt for Carlos Valdes on loan.

Boca Juniors and Nacional (of Uruguay) dropped out after acquiring other center defenders in the past two days. Now Deportivo Cali, who entered the discussion yesterday, reportedly also have retracted their interest in Valdes.

First Boca Juniors left the playing field for the services of Carlos Valdes and now fellow South American power Nacional have also exited the race for his signature.

The Philadelphia Union captain's options for a possible loan move to a team in Copa Libertadores took another hit after Nacional, like Boca, signed a different defender (Boca brought in Chiqui Pérez).