Freddy Adu says he is ready to now cast off the 'wonderkid' tag and become a top quality footballer.
The 23-year old Philadelphia Union attacker became US soccer's next big thing when he exploded onto the MLS scene with DC United as a teenager back in 2004 but his career has never really lived up to lofty expectations with a few failed stints in Europe.
However, the former Benfica, Monaco and Caykur Rizespor man is determined to shake off the tag of being a star youngster and become a quality player in a European league.
"I don't want people to remember me just as being a 14-year-old wonderkid," Adu told the BBC.
"I was still very small and skinny. But as far as football goes, I felt ready, and mentally, I felt ready.
"By 23, right now, I would have loved to be playing in a top league in Europe, but it didn't work out that way. Now I'm looking at 25. It's pushed back a couple of years, but not much Hopefully I'll do better next year, and then go from there."
