Costa Rican international Marco Urena won’t be returning to MLS, at least for the start of the 2019 season campaign.

On Monday, Costa Rican outfit LD Alajuelense used social media channels to indicate the forward would be returning to the club where he made his professional debut before spending almost a decade abroad.

The former LAFC man and member of Ticos’ 2018 FIFA World Cup contingent had his contract option declined following the 2018 season. The Chicago Fire acquired Urena’s rights in the 2018 Waiver Draft, but after two years in MLS the 28-year-old has opted instead for a return to his home country.

Despite scoring only one league goal in 18 appearances with expansion LAFC in 2018, Urena drew relatively positive reviews for his combination play with fellow attackers Diego Rossi and Carlos Vela, among others. He had five assists during a campaign that was interrupted by facial fractures and then World Cup duty.

The year prior, he had five goals and three assists in 25 appearances for the San Jose Earthquakes. But US national team fans will remember Urena’s 2017 more for the brace he scored in Costa Rica’s 2-0 victory over the Yanks at Red Bull Arena during the USMNT’s failed World Cup qualifying campaign.

Urena made his debut for Alajuelense as a teenager before moving on to stops in Russia and Denmark prior to his 2017 arrival at San Jose.

By Ian Quillen, MLS Soccer