BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Birmingham Legion FC announced on Friday the club had acquired goalkeeper Fernando Delgado on loan from Real Monarchs SLC of MLS NEXT Pro for the remainder of the 2024 USL Championship season. Delgado will be available for selection in Legion’s contest against Miami FC on Saturday night.

Delgado joins Legion having made 14 appearances for the Monarchs across the USL Championship and MLS NEXT Pro in his young career. The 17-year-old was the youngest goalkeeper to make his debut in the Championship during the 2021 season when he made his first professional appearances aged 15 years, 2 months, and 22 days old for the Monarchs on October 16, 2021. He is currently the eighth-youngest player and youngest goalkeeper to have appeared in the USL Championship.

Over the past three seasons, Delgado has made 13 appearances in MLS NEXT Pro, recording four shutouts. This season he has allowed one goal in two appearances while posting a save percentage of 80 percent.

Delgado was selected to represent the Mexico U-17 Men’s National Team that competed at the 2023 U-17 World Cup in Indonesia where he was a teammate with 2023 USL Championship Young Player of the Year Fidel Barajas and current North Carolina FC center back Adrian Pelayo.