The Pittsburgh Riverhounds begin preseason training Jan. 26, and a familiar face will be in place for those workouts.
Former team member Albert Dikwa has returned to the Riverhounds in a transfer agreement with Rhode Island FC.
The forward was the 2023 USL Championship Player of the Year and Golden Boot winner with the Riverhounds.
Dikwa, 28, scored a league-best 20 goals to help the Riverhounds claim the Players’ Shield with the league’s best record.
He played the past two seasons with Rhode Island. He scored 19 goals and added 10 assists across all competitions in helping the expansion club reach the USL Championship final in 2024.
“We couldn’t be more excited to welcome Albert back home to Pittsburgh,” said sporting director Dan Visser, the team’s top assistant coach during Dikwa’s first stint in Pittsburgh.
“His familiarity with our club and our city makes this move a natural fit. He’s been a big part of our past, and he’ll be a big part of our future.”
Dikwa ranks among the scoring leaders in club history through his production over four seasons from 2020 to 2023. His 37 goals for the Riverhounds ranks second all-time.
The Garoua, Cameroon native is one of just three players in club history with 20 goals in a single season.
“I’m extremely happy to be back home in Pittsburgh. I can’t wait to get back to work and represent my city again. Let’s go Hounds,” Dikwa said in a statement.
Dikwa’s professional career began in 2017 immediately after his graduation from high school as he joined Orlando City B, a USL Championship club at the time.
He’s also played for Saint Louis FC (2018-19) before joining the Riverhounds and then Rhode Island. He owns 56 regular-season goals in the USL Championship and seven more in cup and postseason play.
The transfer’s completion is pending USL and U.S. Soccer approval.
The Riverhounds will train and prepare for the season opener March 7 at the Charleston Battery.
Season tickets and multi-game flex packs now are on sale at Riverhounds.com/tickets or by calling the Highmark Stadium box office at 412-865-GOAL.
