USL Championship transfer news
Runners-up Charleston Battery have brought in striker Jake LaCava from Tampa Bay, centre back Graham Smith and midifelder Aaron Molloy from Memphis, and full back Josh Drack from Huntsville to try and go one better.
Colorado Springs Switchbacks were fifth in the Western Conference last year and have been doing some wheeling and dealing, signing Haitian striker Ronaldo Damus on loan from GIF Sundsvall, striker Alex Andersson from the University of Colorado, Ghanaian defender Wahab Ackwei from Rio Grande Valley, midfielder Aidan Rocha and defender Koa Santos from Loudoun, and goalkeeper Joe Rice from Hartford.
Detroit City have made no transfer moves as yet.
El Paso Locomotive finished 7th in the Western Conference last year and have been busy, bringing in striker Justin Dhillon from San Antonio, defender Tony Alfaro from LA Galaxy, Jamaican international goalkeeper Jahmali White from Pittsburgh, El Salvadorean international striker Amando Moreno from New Mexico, defender Elijah Martin and South African striker Tumi Moshobane from San Diego, striker Joaquin Rivas and defender Bolu Akinyode from Miami, and defender Noah Dollenmayer from LAFC II. Goalkeeper Benny Diaz has moved to Juarez in Mexico.
Hartford Athletic's new coach Brendan Burke has done some serious surgery on last year's Eastern Conference basement side, bringing in Jamaican international strikers Romario Williams and Deshane Beckford from Colorado Springs, Brazilian goalkeeper Renan Ribeiro from Al Ahli, Congolese striker Enoch Mushagalusa from Louisville, midfielders Marcus Epps from Tulsa, Jay Chapman from Colorado Srpings, and Joe Schmidt from Charleston, defenders Anderson Asiedu from Birmingham Rece Buckmaster from Memphis, and Joe Farrell from Pittsburgh, French Guianan international defender Thomas Vancaeyezeele from the French sixth tier,and Sierra Leonean international midfidler Emmanuel Samadia from the Israeli second division.
Indy Eleven finished sixth in the Eastern Conference last year but are looking for a new coach after parting company with Mark Lowry. They've only made a couple of signings in defenders Aedan Stanley from Miami and Danny Barbir from Oakland.
Las Vegas Lights did not enjoy a good season last year but have opted to keep coach Isidro Sanchez and haven't signed a new player as yet.
Loudoun United struggled in their first season as an independent club, fielding a very young side. Haitian international striker Christiano Francois from Rio Grande Valley, midfielder Tommy McCabe from Tulsa and Drew Skundrich from Colorado Springs, and defender Roddy Dambrot from Indy Eleven will bolster coach Ryan Martin's squad.
Louisville City lost in the Eastern Conference Final last year and will look to keep their good form going by adding strikers Adrien Perez from San Diego and Tola Showunmi from Pittsburgh, midfielder Jake Morris from Columbus, and USL-C defender of the year Arturo Ordonez, also from Pittsburgh. They've sold Manny Perez to Horsens of Denmark.
Memphis 901 finished a surprise fourth in the Eastern Conference last season but are not resting on their laurels, bringing in strikers Kyle Murphy from Miami and Noe Meza from Omaha, full back Oscar Jimenez from Louisville, Australian midfielder Zach Duncan from Aarhus, and Brazilian forward Marlon Santos from the Israeli second division.
Miami just missed out on the play-offs last season and have changed coaches, bringing in Antonio Nocerino from Italy. He's set about recreating the team, signing Puerto Rican international defender Nicolas Cardona from Chattanooga Red Wolves, midfielder Michael Vang from Portland, Cuban Striker Frank Lopez from Rio Grande Valley, Senegalese goalkeeper Khadim Ndiaye from Bulgaria, Allen Gavilanes from Greenville, Italian winger Mattia Gagliardi and striker Rocco Genzano from Nocerino's old Serie C club, defender Daltyn Knutson from South Georgia, Colombian international striker Isaac Zuleta from New Mexico, Ghanaian defender Jordan Ayimbila from Las Vegas, and German midfielder Samuel Biek from the German Regionaliga.
Despite missing out on the play-offs last season, Frank Yallop's Monterey Bay Union have been relatively quiet with just the signings of Mexican midfielder Rafael Baca from Cruz Azul, Mexican defender Carlos Guzman and midfielder Xavi Gnaulati from San Diego, Guadeloupean international striker Luther Archimede from Sacramento announced.
New Mexico United squeaked into the play-offs last year and have brought in some exciting new players, including winger Dayvon Harris from Tampa Bay, full backs Avionne Flanagan from Charlotte Independence and Zico Bailey from San Antonio, striker Mukwelle Akale from South Georgia, and Italian midfielder Marco Micaletto from Columbus II.
North Carolina were promoted from USL League One and are reigning USL-1 champions. They've prepared for the step up by signing midfielder Jacori Hayes and defender Lamar Batista from San Antonio, midfielder Collin Martin and striker Evan Conway from San Diego, and goalkeeper Jake McGuire and centre back Paco Craig from Miami. They've also brought in defenders Bryce Washington from Loudoun, Shaft Brewer Jr from Omaha, Justin Malou from Tulsa, and Ezra Armstrong from St Louis II, goalkeeper Akira Fitzgerald from Richmond, and Brazilian midfielder Rodrigo da Costa from Memphis.
Oakland Roots didn't make post-season play last year and have only moved for Georgian centre back Gigi Margvelashvili from Dinamo Tbilisi, Haitian striker Miche-Naider Chery from Violette AC, and defender Camden Riley from San Diego so far.
Western Conference runners-up Orange County have a new head coach in Morten Karlsen, stepping up from assistant, and have signed
strikers Ethan Zubak from Nashville and Cameron Dunbar from Minnesota. They've lost Milan Iloski to Nordsjaelland in Denmark.
Reigning champions Phoenix Rising have added Venezuelan defenders Edgardo Rito from Hartford and Juan Carlos Azocar from Rio Grande Valley to their squad.
Pittsburgh Riverhounds were USL Championship Players Shield winners last year but flopped at the first hurdle in the play-offs. Coach Bob Lilley has done a bit of surgery, retaining just eleven players and so far signing none ahead of the new season. They've yet to tie down top striker Albert Dikwa.
Expansion side Rhode Island have put former Birmingham assistant Khano Smith in charge for their debut season and he's quickly put together a competitive side, with banner signings in the former Spanish goalkeeper Koke Vegas from San Diego, defender Stephen Turnbull from New York City, and striker JJ Williams from Tampa Bay. Joining them are midfielders Conor McGlynn and Prince Saydee from Hartford, defenders Gabriel Alves from Birmingham and Grant Stoneman from San Diego, midfielders Amos Shaprio-Thompson from Red Bulls II, Marc Ybarra from Pittsburgh, and Joe Brito from Omaha, Cuban defender Frank Nobarse from Rio Grande Valley, Congolese midfielder Jojea Kwizera from Ontreal, and Irish striker Mark Doyle from St Patrick's Athletic.
Powerhouse Californians Sacramento Republic have added free-scoring striker Trevor Amann from Northern Colorado, defender Jonathan Ricketts from Rio Grande Valley, and goalkeeper Jarrod Mazzola from Greenville to their 2024 squad.
San Antonio had a disappointing season by their lofty standards last season and have so far brought in striker Juan Agudelo from Birmingham, Canadian midfielder Mohamed Omar from HFX Wanderers, and Argentine striker Luis Solignac from El Paso
Tampa Bay Rowdies were surprise losers in the play-off first round last year and new coach Robbie Nielsen has so far signed just three players in midfielders Blake Bodily from San Diego and Danny Crisostomo from Las Vegas, and Venezuelan striker Manuel Arteaga from Phoenix.
Tulsa were two points short of the play-offs in 2023. English midfielder Charlie Adams from San Diego, Portuguese midfielder Diogo Pacheco from Minnesota II, midfielders Jeremy Kelly from Memphis and Justin Portillo from New Mexico, and USL-1 defender of the year Arthur Rogers from Northern Colorado have so far been added to the squad.
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