Hartford Athletic lost its top all-time goal scorer a few weeks back, as 21-year-old forward Mamadou Dieng rode incredible form into a transfer to MLS club Minnesota United.
It didn’t take long for the club to find his replacement.
Hartford announced the signing of former USL MVP and Golden Boot winner Hadji Barry on Wednesday, just before the team lost to Indy Eleven, 2-0, ending an eight-game unbeaten run.
“We are all very happy to welcome Hadji to Hartford.” said General Manager and Head Coach Brendan Burke. “We are getting a top professional, a proven goal scorer, unselfish attacking player and a good leader all in one with this move. Our staff and players are all excited to get Hadji on the field in the coming weeks and months and our fans should be just as excited.”
Barry has racked up 79 goals and 24 assists in 151 appearances in the USL Championship. He won both the MVP and the Golden Boot as the league’s top scorer in 2021, when he poured in 25 goals for the Colorado Switchbacks.
The 32-year-old Guinea native began his career with MLS club Orlando City, after being chosen 13th overall in the draft out of Central Florida.
Barry spent the last two-plus seasons with Future FC in the Egyptian Premier League, landing there in 2022 after commanding the then-largest transfer fee in USL Championship history.
Hartford (8-5-9, W-D-L) is in fifth place in the USL’s Eastern Conference standings.
