Detroit City FC makes third free-agent midfield signing

Nolan Bianchi
The Detroit News

Detroit City FC has added some more legs to its midfield for 2023, announcing via social media Thursday that the club has signed 25-year-old German midfielder Adrian Billhardt to a two-year contract.

Billhardt, who most recently played for USL League One side South Georgia Tormenta FC, brings an attacking element and is the second midfield signing by DCFC in as many weeks. The club signed 29-year-old Miami FC defender Richard Ballard early last week. Both deals are fully guaranteed for 2023 with a club option for 2024. 

Adrian Billhardt

All three of DCFC's free-agent signings have come in the form of midfielders: Le Rouge announced Norwegian midfielder Skage Simonsen in mid-December.

Billhardt was born and raised in Berlin, Germany, where he spent his youth career with BFC Dynamo and Union Berlin. He played college soccer at the University of South Florida.

While Billhardt hasn’t played at the USL Championship level before, this signing does have a nice bit of upside for a club that’s clearly looking to win on the margins this offseason. He suffered a season-ending injury in 2021, his debut season in League One, before coming on strong in 2022 with 30 appearances, 25 starts, five goals and five assists en route to winning Tormenta’s first league title and USL League One Comeback Player of the Year.

He now looks to carry that momentum into a situation that’s desperately looking to replace production on both the creating and finishing ends. He has proven to be serviceable at both — a forward-thinking player with an eye for the goal and the vision to find his teammates. 

nbianchi@detroitnews.com

Twitter: @nolanbianchi