Former New York City FC star David Villa is now taking his talents to ownership.
Villa confirmed on Tuesday that he is a lead investor in a USL Championship expansion team coming to Queens, New York, named Queensboro FC.
Queens always showed love to me & my family while we were in New York. It’s a dream to build a pro @USLChampionship ⚽️ club in the world’s Boro @QueensboroFC #QBFChttps://t.co/im4qJ4q2fl
— David Villa (@Guaje7Villa) November 12, 2019
Queensboro will take the field in 2021 and play most of their home matches in a new stadium at York College in the Jamaica neighborhood of Queens. Citi Field, home of MLB’s New York Mets, will also be used for a few matches.
“Bringing professional football to Queens’ diverse community is an exciting and unique opportunity,” Villa said in his statement. “The beautiful game already lives here, thanks to the melting pot of cultures who are so passionate about the sport. I can’t think of a better place for QBFC to grow. I’m proud to be part of this project.”
The 37-year-old was NYCFC’s first-ever signing and a Designated Player for the club from 2015-18, scoring 77 goals and 26 assists in 117 career MLS regular-season matches. Villa came from Spain’s La Liga after spending time with Real Zaragoza, Valencia, Barcelona, and Atletico Madrid. After leaving NYCFC for Japanese side Vissel Kobe at the close of last season, Villa now plans to retire between now and 2021 in order to focus on the new USL project.
“We will recruit the best players in Queens as we become the home team,” Villa told ESPN. “We have a built-in advantage in the number of talented players in the borough. The sporting level in USL is high, which means we have to be demanding in the quality of our athletes. But our goal is to have as many Queens-bred players as possible.”
Nashville officially add McCarty, Romney from Fire, Galaxy respectively
Nashville SC has officially added two MLS veterans ahead of its expansion to the league.
The club announced Tuesday it has acquired midfielder Dax McCarty and defender Dave Romney. McCarty was acquired from the Chicago Fire in exchange for $50,000 in General Allocation Money, $50,000 in Targeted Allocation Money and a second-round pick (28th overall) in the 2021 Major League Soccer SuperDraft.
“Dax is a proven leader and winner and has done so in every club he’s been in throughout his career. He embodies the character and values of what our club will be on and off the field,” Nashville SC GM Mike Jacobs said.
McCarty has won two Supporters’ Shield titles in his MLS career, while accumulating 361 all-time regular season appearances. He has played for FC Dallas, D.C. United, the New York Red Bulls, and most recently the Fire.
“I couldn’t be more excited to be joining Nashville SC for the club’s inaugural MLS season and beyond,” McCarty said. “The buzz around the club is easy to feel and see. The opportunity and challenge of building something special from the beginning will be a unique experience that I feel privileged to be a part of. I can’t wait to get to Nashville and start preparing for the 2020 season.”
Romney, 26, was acquired from the L.A. Galaxy in exchange for $225,000 in General Allocation Money. The Galaxy will receive an additional $50,000 in GAM if Romney meets certain performance-based metrics.
“Dave’s combination of athleticism and decision-making on both sides of the ball, coupled with being naturally left-sided, made him someone that we appreciated very early on in this process,” Jacobs said. “We believe that he is someone that could really flourish in our system with both a consistent role and a regular run of games.”
Romney brings four years of MLS experience to Nashville after spending his entire career so far with the Galaxy. He’s totaled 132 appearances with the Galaxy across all competitions.
“I’m incredibly excited to be involved in Nashville SC’s inaugural MLS season,” Romney said. “It’s such a unique experience. You are at the ground floor of shaping what the club’s legacy will be for years to come. It’s something I’ve always been intrigued about doing and I couldn’t be happier that it’s in an amazing city with such a passionate fanbase.”
Inter Miami acquires Drake Callender’s Homegrown rights in trade with San Jose
For the second day in a row, Inter Miami has made a trade within the league.
The club announced Tuesday it’s acquired the Homegrown Player Rights for goalkeeper Drake Callender from the San Jose Earthquakes. In exchange, the Earthquakes received Miami’s second round pick (No. 27 overall) in the 2020 MLS SuperDraft.
In addition, San Jose can receive up to $150,000 in General Allocation Money (GAM) if Callender meets certain performance-based metrics.
“Drake is a driven, young goalkeeper who impressed at the collegiate level both on and off the pitch,” Inter Miami CF Sporting Director Paul McDonough said. “We are pleased to trade for his Homegrown Rights and will explore him coming to South Florida sometime in the future.”
Callender, 22, currently plays Division I soccer at the University of California, Berkeley. Callender has made 52 appearances over four years, registering 15 clean sheets. 2018 saw Callender named to the preseason MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List and earned United Soccer Coaches NCAA All-Far West Region Third Team and All-Pac-12 Second Team honors.