Philadelphia here I don’t come, says Pires

MLS: Major League Soccer newcomers the Philadelphia Union have fired back at French midfielder Robert Pires after his apparent dismissal of their home city.

The Union, who became the 16th MLS team when the league started at the end of March, had been linked with a move for former Arsenal star Pires, who is a free agent after his contract expired with Spanish side Villarreal.

But L’Equipe said Pires, 36, rejected an offer from the Union and MLS to join the club because Philadelphia was not “beautiful”.

“It does not please me to (go to Philadelphia),” Pires said. “I do not want to be difficult, but if I had to take my family away, I’d rather do it in a beautiful city.”

Union chief executive Nick Sakiewicz told Philadelphia Daily News Pires had turned down an invitation to visit the city. “It’s a bit of a shock as to where all this is coming from,” Sakiewicz said. “A, he’s never been here and B, we never made him an offer. I think Robert is a good player with a lot of experience and a lot of good football left in him, but he may just not have been for us; given his comments, he clearly is not for us.”