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Do you remember Stefano Bonomo? The New York Red Bulls drafted the striker from the University of California in the second round of the MLS SuperDraft with the 39th pick. However, instead of signing with the Red Bulls or showing up to preseason training camp, he decided to test the market in Europe. He went on trials in Poland with second division club Miedz Legnica, in England with one of the clubs in "Sheffield," and in Italy with third division club Società Polisportiva Ars et Labor 2013 (SPAL). Unfortunately, none of these trials ended with a contract offer.
After a reported injury kept Bonomo from going on more trials, it appears that he has surfaced again.
Tidbit: NY Red Bulls draft pick Stefano Bonomo is having a try-out with Calcio Padova
— Enrico Passarella (@Guardalinee) June 5, 2015
(It's important to note that Bonomo, a First Team All-PAC-12 selection in 2014, is a dual citizen of the United States and Italy.)
Here's where things get fun and I'll try to keep it as brief as possible. Calcio Padova technically doesn't exist anymore. The club was set to be relegated after finishing the 2013-2014 Serie B season in 20th place, but did not sign up for the 2014-2015 Lega Pro (third division) season after failing to submit a bank guarantee and being declared bankrupt. However, new owners formed S.S.D. Biancoscudati Padova in 2014 to "give continuity to the history of Calcio Padova," were granted the rights to Padova's history, and began playing in the amateur Serie D (the fourth division). The original Calcio Padova was put into liquidation a few months ago. The good news is that S.S.D. Biancoscudati Padova finished first in the 2014-2015 Serie D Girone C (Serie D is the top level of non-professional soccer in Italy and is split into nine regional divisions [referred to as Gironi]) and earned promotion to the third division Lega Pro (the same division Calcio Padova was unable to join a year ago).
I'm sorry if the above paragraph wasn't very clear because it's largely irrelevant to the issue at hand. I went down a deep Italian soccer rabbit hole.
In short, Stefano Bonomo is on trial with Italian third division club Biancoscudati Padova (also known as Calcio Padova).
It's curious that the New York Red Bulls have not brought Bonomo back into the fold and the player seems intent on playing abroad. Both the New York Red Bulls and New York Red Bulls II could use depth at striker, which is why he was drafted in the first place. During an episode of Seeing Red in March, manager Jesse Marsch implied that the door was still open for Bonomo to rejoin the club (or at least have an opportunity to do so).
"We'll see what happens with that...There'll always still be opportunities for him to come train with us and see if he could fit...I think he's a talented player, but right now he's not with us. We'll see - I don't think that story is quite finished yet."
The story is not quite finished yet. If Italy doesn't work out, the Red Bulls will be here. The door is always open, Stefano.