LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Louisville City FC announced on Thursday it had signed young midfielder Elijah Wynder to a new multi-year contract amid his stellar start to the 2024 USL Championship campaign.

The 21-year-old LouCity Academy product has started in six of LouCity’s first seven USL Championship games in 2024 and has already scored a pair of goals this season.

“We are really proud to be able to extend Elijah here at Louisville City,” said LouCity Head Coach Danny Cruz. “He is an academy graduate who we have continued to watch develop every day, and we are excited for what the future holds for him. I know that Elijah will continue to focus on improving and do everything he can to help us get back to winning a USL Championship title.”

Wynder’s role at LouCity continues to expand as he furthers from a devastating leg injury that forced him to miss the 2021 season, his first as a pro.

The Louisville native capped 2022 by scoring City’s game-winning goal in the Eastern Conference Final, which paved the way to Wynder receiving the USL Championship’s Comeback Player of the Year award. He returned in 2023 to log a career-high 1,588 minutes, scoring three goals, registering an assist and winning 101 duels.

In 2019, Wynder was the first player to sign a USL Academy contract with LouCity. He grew up training with the boys in purple and made a few appearances as a USL Academy signing before earning his first professional deal.

“I’m happy to sign this contract, and I’m excited to get more time with the guys,” Wynder said. “It means a lot to play for my hometown club and to represent the city of Louisville. It’s been a dream to play here since I started training with the first team when I was in the academy. I can’t wait to see what the future holds.”

Analysis

After setting individual highs in appearances and minutes in 2023, Elijah Wynder has taken a major step forward in his progression to start the new season, earning a new multi-year contract that should serve both the 21-year-old and the club well in his path forward in the professional ranks. Wynder has become a reliable part of the LouCity lineup this campaign, starting in six of seven appearances while posting an 82.1 percent passing accuracy rate and 61.9 percent long passing accuracy rate while continuing to show his awareness in and around the penalty area with a pair of goals.

Wynder’s other big strength for LouCity’s lineup is as a disruptor, with his range and speed having seen him win 12 tackles at an 80 percent success rate so far this campaign. After the transfer of younger brother Joshua a year ago, it’s not hard to envision the elder Wynder brother making a major move in the future.