Phoenix Rising loans out forward Seyi Adekoya to OKC Energy
Aug 7, 2021, 4:13 PM | Updated: 4:19 pm
Phoenix Rising FC striker Seyi Adekoya against FC Tucson in a preseason friendly at Wild Horse Pass in Chandler on April 24, 2021. (Owain Evans Photo)
(Owain Evans Photo)
Phoenix Rising has sent forward Seyi Adekoya on loan to USL Championship Eastern Conference side OKC Energy, the club announced on Friday.
He joins PRFC left back Deklan Wynne, who was also loaned out to OKC on July 1.
However, Phoenix Rising retains the right to recall Adekoya from the loan spell at any point this season.
The 25-year-old forward only made four appearances as a substitute for Phoenix on the 2021 USL Championship campaign, which only totaled a combined 53 minutes on the pitch.
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And after bagging a goal in the preseason against Colorado Springs Switchbacks and FC Tucson, Adekoya wasn’t able to find the net for his first goal in a Rising kit in a regular-season match.
With the likes of striker Rufat Dadashov and MLS loanee David Egbo (Vancouver Whitecaps) being the two No. 9 forwards alongside wingers Solomon Asante — PRFC’s captain and two-time defending league MVP — Santi Moar and Prince Saydee, playing time was going to be few and far between for Adekoya as Phoenix looks to win its second regular-season title in three years.
“Seyi is a very, very good player, very talented, we like him,” manager Rick Schantz told Arizona Sports Saturday. “It’s just right now we have seven players in an area where we usually only have five or six.
“And rather than have Seyi just training every day and getting frustrated that he may not be getting minutes, this is an opportunity for him to play in games and continue to develop his trade as a pro and for us to keep an eye on him.”
Rising still has a second-year option on the forward, so he could still be on PRFC’s roster for the 2022 season after signing with the club back in April.
“I think we still have an option for him on next year, so hopefully he does really well and then we can make the decision on how we want to move forward,” Schantz said.
“I sat with him and said, ‘Hey, it’s an opportunity. You can stay here and train and not play very much or you can go somewhere where they really want you and I think you’re gonna be an impact player for them.’ And we don’t have to play them, so that’s a good thing.”
