OAKLAND, Calif. – Oakland Roots SC announced on Wednesday the club had signed Sierra Leone international Kevin Wright ahead of the 2023 USL Championship season. The transaction is pending league and federation approval.

A native of Ilford, England, Wright has made eight appearances for the Leone Stars, including appearing in all three games for the side at the 2022 CAF Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon. At the tournament, he was a teammate of current Charleston Battery forward Augustine Williams.

“We are very excited to add a left back in Kevin Wright who comes to us with a breadth of experience in England and Scandinavia,” said Roots SC Technical Director Jordan Ferrell. “Kevin fits with the attacking wingback profile that fits with our style of play, and we look forward to seeing him on the field soon.”

Wright came through the Chelsea FC Youth Academy, starting with the club aged 10, and helped Chelsea lift the FA Youth Cup in 2014. He made his professional debut for Carlisle United in England’s EFL League Two in the 2016-17 season before moving to Norwegian club Fredrikstad.

The 27-year-old went on to play for Degerfors in the Swedish second tier before making the move to top-flight club Örebro, where he made 76 appearances and recorded two goals and eight assists in the Allsvenskan. More recently, Wright spent time with Greek club Apollon Smyrnis before making the move to Oakland for the new year.