Kei Kamara rejoins MLS side Columbus Crew

Sierra Leone international Kei Kamara has rejoined MLS club Columbus Crew.

However the 30-year old forward, who was a free agent having left Middlesbrough in August, will not be eligible to play for the Ohio-based club until January 2015.

MLS rules mean he must sit out the rest of the regular season but he can train with Crew from next week.

"I'm very happy to be back in MLS with the Crew. I'm looking forward to next season," Kamara told BBC Sport.

"I hope I'm able to bring great success to the club that made me a professional soccer player in 2006."

Columbus Crew coach Gregg Berhalter believes Kamara will fit perfectly into his system.

"Kei is a dynamic attacking player with a history of scoring goals in the MLS League and we feel that he will fit perfectly into our system," he said.

"With his on-field performance, leadership, big personality and history of community involvement, Kei embodies the values of the club's new brand as we move forward."

Kamara pulled out of Sierra Leone's squad that will face Cameroon twice in the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers on 11 and 15 October because he was negotiating a deal with Crew.

He said: " I will not be able to make the games in Cameroon as it will take me 50 hours to get there and I won't have time to train with the team before the match. I wish the boys all the best."

Kamara first played for Columbus Crew in 2006/07 season scoring five goals in 36 appearances.

He also played for MLS clubs San Jose Earthquakes, Houston Dynamo and Sporting Kansas City before he was briefly loaned to then English Premier League club Norwich City, where he featured 11 times and scored once.