skip navigation

The 10 most notable USL Championship signings over the past week – Jan. 25-31

By NICHOLAS MURRAY - nicholas.murray@uslsoccer.com, 02/01/25, 8:00AM EST

Share

Miami makes a big veteran swing, Loudoun looks for a happy homecoming, and another forward from the Veikkausliiga lands in Detroit


Taylor Calheira (FC Tulsa), Marco Micaletto (Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC) and Woobens Pacius (Tampa Bay Rowdies) are among the players to get new homes in the USL Championship this week.

Welcome back to our weekly look at some of the key signings and moves from the past week in the build-up to the 2025 USL Championship season. In case you missed it, we already covered Monday’s move of Augustine Williams to Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC here, so go and check that out if you haven’t already.

There was, however, plenty more that got our attention as the week went on including Miami FC taking a big swing at a veteran playmaker, a homecoming at Loudoun United for talented midfielder, and another top scorer from last year’s campaign in Finland’s top flight landing in the league.

Here are 10 transactions that caught our eye.

1. Sebastián Blanco signs with Miami FC

Welcome back to a time when Miami FC wasn’t afraid to take a big swing.

The club’s early years were dotted with these signings when former Tottenham Hotspur and Honduras defender Wilson Palacios and the likes of Dane Richards and Kwadwo Poku were being snapped up, resulting in a run to the Quarterfinals of the 2017 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup before they were eliminated by then-USL Championship club FC Cincinnati.

At 36 years old, Sebastián Blanco isn’t in his prime, but he’s still a name fans will recognize that can serve as the centerpiece of the new project being led by Head Coach and fellow Argentine Gastόn Maddoni.

It’ll be important the rest of the side can pick up the slack defensively – Blanco averaged only 2.32 duels won and 2.74 recoveries per 90 minutes in his final season in MLS for the Portland Timbers in 2023 – and there should be concern about how much gas is still in the tank physically, but his creativity is what he’s being brought here for. Miami will be hoping his agile mind can keep him a step ahead of the competition and have a positive impact on the club’s fortunes.

2. Loudoun United FC signs midfielder Moses Nyeman


21-year-old midfielder Moses Nyeman is set to return to Loudoun United this season having made his professional debut for the club during the 2019 season. | Photo courtesy Loudoun United FC

It doesn’t seem that long ago the potential for Moses Nyeman seemed limitless.

As a youngster at D.C. United in 2020 he was both part of MLSSoccer.com’s 22 under 22 list and included on The Guardian’s Next Generation 60 with players like Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz and Al-Nassr FC’s Jhon Jáder Durán.

Since then, the central midfielder’s career has been awaiting liftoff as a sojourn to Belgium with S.K. Beveren and subsequent stints with Real Salt Lake and Minnesota United FC stateside haven’t produced the desired progress.

Coming back to Virginia with Loudoun United offers a fresh start for someone who is still the third-youngest goalscorer in the USL Championship’s history. The two people ahead of him on that list are current Bayern Munich star Alphonso Davies and Chivas de Guadalajara forward Cade Cowell.

At 21 years old, Nyeman can still fulfill the potential plenty of people saw in him when he first broke through. If he does, it could be a massive boost for Loudoun this year.

3. Detroit City signs forward Darren Smith

If it seems like USL Championship clubs have been keeping tabs on the Finnish top-flight Veikkausliiga, the signings of Darren Smith by Detroit City this week after Adam Larsson’s arrival at Monterey Bay FC last week would point in that direction.

Both players ranked in the Top 10 in goals in the 2024 campaign with Larsson’s 11 goals for IFK Mariehamn besting Smith on nine for Inter Turku. Historically, Smith brings a slightly better history between the two in the league overall, however, with his 18 goals in 61 appearances coming at a strike rate of a goal every 188 minutes of action.

A native of South Africa, Smith has more experience at 28 years of age, but a similar track record of finishing with 61 goals in the professional ranks. As with Larsson, the question will be whether that can translate to a new league and environment in the USL Championship with Smith arriving to join an attack that returns Ben Morris but saw fellow co-leading scorer Maxi Rodriguez move on to Rhode Island FC.

4. FC Tulsa acquires forward Taylor Calheira via transfer

If you’re getting a little déjà vu from this move, don’t worry.

Last offseason, the Charleston Battery acquired a forward from New York City FC II that the prior season had led the team in scoring and earned MLS NEXT Pro Best XI honors. MD Myers then went on to record 14 goals and three assists in helping the Battery to a second-place finish in the Eastern Conference and a second consecutive trip to the Eastern Conference Final in the postseason.

This week, Taylor Calheira was acquired by FC Tulsa from NYCFC II with almost the same resume as Myers brought. He recorded 14 goals and five assists in the 2024 MLSNP regular season to lead the team in scoring and earn Best XI honors and ranked third in the league in American Soccer Analysis’ Goals Added metric at +9.24. He also notably had three goals in the side’s run to the Round of 16 in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup before its elimination by New Mexico United.

What’s been notable is this move seems to rankle New York City FC’s fans a little bit. Calheira, the thinking goes, was a player that would have translated to the club’s First Team in a way that Myers’ game may not have.

That should be very welcome to hear for FC Tulsa’s fans, who now have a front line forward to lead the way alongside the club’s new arrivals this offseason. Is Phillip Goodrum’s club record of 12 goals in a season going to be under threat? It easily could be.

5. Louisville City FC acquires goalkeeper Damian Las on loan


Damian Las returns to Louisville City FC on loan from Austin FC in 2025 looking for more team success and improvement in his individual numbers. | Photo courtesy Jon DeBoer / Detroit City FC

With Damian Las re-acquired on loan from Austin FC for the new season, Louisville City will have the same goalkeeper room as it did a season ago when it had one of the best regular seasons in the USL Championship’s history.

This, however, could be an important season for Las individually after a season in which there were two trains of thought as to his performance in 2024.

The first – which seems to have included LouCity’s brass – saw Las as a solid member of the squad who contributed his fair share of key saves throughout the season. Listen back to a few episodes of USL All Access and my friend Devon Kerr was also full of praise for Las and what he was bringing to the table.

The numbers seemed to tell a different story, though. Among goalkeepers who recorded at least 50 saves in the 2024 regular season, Las’ save percentage of 63.6 percent was the third-lowest. Additionally, his Goals Prevented mark sat above par at +3.37 per Opta or +6.82 per American Soccer Analysis.

That’s a number that Louisville will be hoping comes down this year as it looks for more silverware, and Las looks to prove himself ready for a shot at Austin FC’s First Team.

6. Tampa Bay Rowdies acquire Woobens Pacius on loan

The trend of USL Championship clubs acquiring talent on loan from clubs in Major League Soccer the latter believes has graduated out of reserve league MLS NEXT Pro has continued this offseason.

While Rowdies acquisition Woobens Pacius might not bring quite the resume that some of the other forward arrivals from MLSNP this offseason have – see Lucas Calheira, above – there’s still plenty to like about the Canadian forward and what he can add on loan from Nashville SC.

The 23-year-old made a name for himself in the Canadian Premier League with perennial power Forge FC, bagging 26 goals in 73 appearances in the league at a strike rate of a goal every 155.7 minutes. That brought Nashville into the picture, and during his time on loan at Huntsville City last season he added another eight goals and two assists at a strike rate of a goal every 145.4 minutes.

Pacius didn’t put up a ton of minutes in Huntsville, but he still notched a +4.33 Goals Added mark. Now he’ll look to make his mark in a Tampa Bay side that features a good deal of attacking talent and aspirations for silverware.

7. Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC acquires Marco Micaletto

One thing you can say about Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC is they’re not always looking for the flashiest signing, but they are invested in bringing aboard players that fit what they’re looking for on and off the field.

In acquiring Marco Micaletto via transfer from Western Conference rival New Mexico United, the Switchbacks seemed to follow this idea and it should help bolster the squad as it prepares for its title defense. The 29-year-old didn’t completely set things alight for New Mexico last season, but he did rank second on United in chances created (40) and Expected Assists (4.89xA), trailing only Mukwelle Akale in both categories despite typically playing a deeper position. His totals also more than doubled the Expected Assists mark of the next-closest teammate.

For New Mexico, two notable players who held down the center of midfield last season are now out of the door after Houssou Landry’s move to the Charleston Battery last week. With Zico Bailey returning and Tomas Pondeca coming in on loan from FC Dallas, there’s a potential new tandem in place, but lacking a whole lot of depth around it.

8. New Mexico United signs winger McKinze Gaines

New Mexico United bringing aboard McKinze Gaines after an unsettled year that saw him suit up for both Nashville SC and Houston Dynamo FC should offer the former United States youth international a little stability and the opportunity to reset after featuring consistently for Charlotte FC in the two seasons prior.

The 26-year-old is a right-sided winger by trade, and his speed and willingness to take on opposing defenders should be an asset – in 2023 with Charlotte he completed 25 dribbles at a success rate of 69.4 percent, ranking in the 93rd percentile in successful take-ons/90 minutes in the league per FBRef.com.

The question will be whether he’s here to start, to be part of a platoon to the previously re-signed Mukwelle Akale – who let’s not forget was among the top wingers in the Championship a season ago – or if there’s another idea here for new United Head Coach Dennis Sanchez. Watch this space.

9. Hartford Athletic signs winger Adewale Obalola

If you’ve followed Brendan Burke’s coaching path, this is the sort of signing that’s become a little bit familiar. From Bethlehem Steel FC to Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC to now Hartford Athletic, the attacking speed Burke has looked for from his sides has been a premium attribute.

Last year’s reunion with Michee Ngalina in Hartford after their previous stops in Pennsylvania and Colorado Springs was an example, and there’s more than a hint of that in Adewale Obalola’s acquisition after competing in the Lithuanian second tier for FK Ekranas, where he recorded 15 goals in the past two seasons.

The right-sided winger has the highlight reel to go with the numbers and at 20 years old is the sort of player that could have a bigger payoff down the line if things line up properly. After the progressive success Mamadou Dieng had coming into the Championship last year after a period of adjustment, reaching double-digit goals by the end of the season, Hartford will be hoping this project pays off as well.

10. Rhode Island FC signs Noah Fuson to contract extension

It should be no surprise after the season Noah Fuson had in Rhode Island’s inaugural campaign the club was keen to secure him to a new long-term deal. With that done, the 25-year-old can now look to cement himself as one of the top attacking players in the league this season for the defending Eastern Conference title-winners.

If there’s something to note from last season, it’s that Fuson’s Golden Playmaker award with 10 assists was certainly helped by some positive variance in his teammates’ finishing. His Expected Assists mark of 6xA ranked 12th in the league overall – league leader and 2023 winner Jorge Hernandez led the way with 9.89xA for his nine helpers – but that’s often the way it works going on a single season of numbers.

Fuson’s ability to finish was what added to his assist numbers, compared to his rivals for the Golden Playmaker award. His 18 goal contributions ranked fourth in the league and earned him All-League honors. As he settles into the new campaign, breaking past the 20-mark in that category could be the goal for the new season.

Follow the USL Championship

Most Recent News

Most Read News

Latest Videos