DETROIT – Detroit City FC announced on Tuesday the first new arrival at the club this offseason with the signing of Norwegian midfielder Skage Simonsen on a two-year contract that will see him in Rouge and Gold through the 2024 season. The transaction is pending league and federation approval.

A native of Grimstad, Norway, Simonsen made 25 appearances in the USL Championship this past season for Loudoun United FC after being selected in the 2022 Major League Soccer SuperDraft by D.C. United. The 24-year-old led Loudoun with seven assists and 34 chances created while also notching a pair of goals in 1,779 minutes of action.

Simonsen had previously arrived in the United States to compete collegiately for St. John’s University in 2018. In two seasons he notched nine goals in 38 appearances for the Red Storm before transferring to Southern Methodist University. At SMU, Simonsen appeared in 27 matches for the Mustangs, scoring 10 goals in two seasons. 

In addition to competing for Loudoun during the 2022 season, he also found the net for D.C. United during its international exhibition midway through the season against German power Bayern Munich.