Wolfsburg confirm release of former U.S. prodigy
Twenty-three-year-old attacker Ulysses S. Llanez will not receive another chance at VfL Wolfsburg upon the expiration of his contract in six days' time. The thrice-capped USMNT international signed his first professional contract with Germany's green company team four summers ago and was immediately loaned out to SC Heerenveen in the Erdevisie. The California native made only five appearances in Holland.
An extended loan-stint with SKN St. Pölten in the Austrian second division proved more successful. Llanez scored a total of 13 goals in 47 appearances across all competitions for Pölten over the course of two years. The once highly touted prospect nevertheless didn't return to Lower Saxony upon the expiration of his loan deal last summer. A car accident was cited as the reason.
Llanez once scored 11 goals for the VfL U19s during the 2019/20 campaign. The talented scorer of seven tallies for the U.S. U20s appeared to be on track to take his career to the next level when he registered his first senior USMNT goal under head-coach Gregg Berhalter in November of 2020. German footballing journalist Thomas Hiete of Kicker Magazine notes that weight control and punctuality issues hindered his development.
"Ulysses' contract is now coming to an end," VfL sporting director Sebastian Schindzielorz told Hiete in an article published on the magazine's website, "We wish him all the best for the future."