EL PASO, Texas – El Paso Locomotive FC announced on Thursday the club had acquired defender Wahab Ackwei via transfer from fellow USL Championship club Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC. In a corresponding transaction, Locomotive transferred forward Justin Dhillon to Colorado Springs. The transactions are pending league and federation approval.

Ackwei joined the Switchbacks during the offseason recorded one goal in five appearances league play. Prior to his time in Colorado Springs, the native of Ghana played under Locomotive Head Coach Wilmer Cabrera at Rio Grande Valley FC between 2022-23. With the Toros, Ackwei was voted to the USL Championship All-League Second Team in the 2022 campaign and made 56 appearances in the Championship’s regular season and playoffs, notching four goals and four assists.

Prior to joining the Toros, Ackwei previously competed in the Championship for the New York Red Bulls II and Loudoun United FC. He has made 77 appearances overall in his career in the league, logging 6,276 minutes of action.

Analysis

Wahab Ackwei becomes the fourth player that previously competed for current Locomotive Head Coach Wilmer Cabrera to join the club this summer, with the center back bringing a solid resume to Southwest University Park after falling out of the defensive rotation at Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC after early-season appearances.

Ackwei has posted a duel success rate of 59.2 percent over his career in the Championship, while also logging a 64.5 percent tackle success rate as well as averaging 1.6 interceptions and 7.1 recoveries per 90 minutes. As Locomotive likely starts looking toward what its 2025 squad will look like, the 27-year-old seems a good proposition, but we’re certainly hoping to see a little more imagination in El Paso moving ahead instead of bringing aboard more Toros retreads to try and return the club to the prominence of its early seasons.