Adu returned to Real Salt Lake tonight in an exhibition against Argentina's Boca Juniors, but his future appeared closer to moving overseas.

Major League Soccer and Benfica reached an agreement on a $2 million transfer fee for the 18-year-old American, but Adu and the Portuguese club could not work out contract terms, a person familiar with the negotiations said today. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to speak publicly.

RSL director of soccer operations John Ellinger, who has been coaching Adu since he was 12, said although the first round of negotiations fell through, talks with Benfica weren't finished.

"I know Freddy has called his agent and said, 'It's still open. Don't let this get off the table.' It's still a real possibility," Ellinger said before Tuesday's game. "As a club, we're ecstatic to keep him and we're ecstatic for him if he gets a chance to play overseas. That's kind of how we feel about it."

FIFA's transfer deadline is Aug. 31, meaning a deal still could be resurrected.

Richard Motzkin, Adu's agent, declined comment.

Adu missed more than a month of RSL's season while he captained the U.S. team to the quarterfinals of the FIFA Under-20 World Cup. Adu had three goals and four assists as the Americans went 3-1-1 in the tournament.

Adu got a loud ovation from the small crowd when he was introduced and gave his club a 1-0 lead when he scored on a penalty kick during stoppage time at the end of the first half. Adu lined up his kick and badly faked goalkeeper Pablo Migliore, who dived to his left as Adu drove a low shot to the opposite corner that gave RSL a 1-0 lead.

It was the first goal Adu scored in Salt Lake City since he was traded there in the offseason, and it doesn't count because the game was an exhibition. Adu left the game in the 67th minute after Bocas tied it at 1.

Adu scored his only official goal with RSL on May 20 at Dallas. He also has two assists in 11 MLS games this season, but his strong showing in the U-20 World Cup was a reminder that the former teen phenom can still play.

Real Salt Lake acquired him from D.C. United last year knowing that he would turn 18 this summer and become eligible under FIFA's rules to transfer outside his home country.