Report: Midfielder Allie Long Signs with Portland Thorns FC

Note: Thanks to Jeremiah Mitchell Braeback for posting this in the fanshots yesterday.

As reported by NWSLNews.com yesterday, after a year spent playing abroad with French club Paris Saint-Germain, Long jumped at the opportunity to return to the United States.

The tweet from Long's representation:

@TiSportsMktg

Thrilled to announce our @ALLIE_LONG has agreed to terms w/@ThornsFC & will be officially announced by the club shortly. #NWSL @ChuckVine

Long's tweet:

@ALLIE_LONG

So thankful for the opportunity to play for @ThornsFC !! Thank you for the support, Truly humbled.

Long attended college at the Penn State from 2005-2006 before transferring to the University of North Carolina for her final two years of college soccer in 2007-2008. She was the #7 pick in the inaugural WSL Draft in 2009, playing for the Washington Freedom for two years before joining Sky Blue FC.

Although she has never been capped at the first team level, Long played for the US U-20's, U-21's, and U-23's during her high school and college career and has been called in to train with the USWNT. Most recently, Long was in the USWNT's training camp before the 2011 World Cup, but injured her MCL and was unable to continue.

An attacking midfielder who has primarily played centrally but can also be deployed on either wing, Long is known for her passing and ability to unlock the defense. Playing alongside Tobin Heath, her teammate at UNC in 2007-2008, Long could be a key part of what is quickly shaping up to be the most fearsome attack in the league.

Thorns FC has yet to confirm the addition of Long.

Highlights

Long scoring a well hit ball from just outside the box (1:00):

The NWSL really needs to get their highlights out there better than the WSL did, because I could not find much in terms of game-play video.