FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – The New England Revolution have re-signed midfielder Daigo Kobayashi through the 2017 MLS season after he opted out of the Re-Entry Process, the club announced today. Kobayashi will not be eligible for selection in Stage Two of the 2016 Re-Entry Draft today, Dec. 22 at 3:00 p.m. ET.
Kobayashi, 33, returns for a fourth season with the Revolution and his fifth MLS campaign since entering the league with Vancouver Whitecaps FC in 2013. The Fuji, Japan native appeared in 27 games, with six starts, in 2016, leading the Revs with 21 substitute appearances. He also added one goal last season and has tallied six assists in his three seasons with New England.
In his MLS career, Kobayashi has totaled 112 career appearances, including 61 starts, with three goals and 10 assists. In the postseason, the midfielder has made four substitute appearances and recorded one assist. Before joining MLS, Kobayashi played eight professional seasons in the Japanese J-League, where he was a two-time All Star, as well as in Greece and Norway. He has also spent time with Japan’s national team at the senior and youth levels.
Stage Two of the 2016 Re-Entry Draft will take place today, Thursday, Dec. 22 at 3:00 p.m. ET. Following today’s draft, the next phase of the offseason program is the 2017 MLS SuperDraft in Los Angeles, Calif. on Jan. 17, 2017.
