DeAndre Yedlin’s club season in Turkey has concluded and the American defender is now becoming an investor of a growing franchise in the United Soccer League.
San Diego Loyal announced on Thursday that Yedlin has joined the club’s ownership group. The Seattle native recently concluded his first season in Turkey with Galatasaray and has joined forces with former international teammate and current Loyal head coach Landon Donovan.
“I am very excited to be joining the San Diego Loyal ownership group,” said Yedlin. “After speaking with Andrew (Vassiliadis), Warren (Smith) and Landon (Donovan) about the club’s values, morals and goals for the future and then seeing those being put to action made it hard for me to turn down this opportunity.
I want to thank Andrew, Warren and Landon as well as the San Diego Loyal staff, players and fans for allowing me to be a part of this club, culture and family,” said Yedlin. “I am looking forward to helping the club reach its goals while also continuing to uphold the values and morals we stand for!”
The 27-year-old began his professional career with his hometown MLS club, Seattle Sounders. Prior to joining Galatasaray in January, Yedlin had stints at Tottenham, Sunderland, and Newcastle United in England. The right back has made over 62 appearances for the U.S. Men’s National Team and is an activist for racial equality.
“It’s important that our entire team, from our players to staff and coaches to investors, adds value to San Diego Loyal,” said chairman of SD Loyal and lead investor Andrew Vassiliadis. “DeAndre embodies this. The way he carries himself and the way he tackles his career. We couldn’t have imagined a better person to join us and our determination to make San Diego the soccer capital of North America.”
The Loyal made national headlines for their stance against racial and homophobic slurs that eliminated any chance of a spot in the USL Championship playoffs in 2021. San Diego has lost each of its opening three matches of the new season and is next in action on May 22nd against Louisville City.
It looks like the Sacramento effort has fallen apart. I hope t6hey ;can turn the Loyal into an MLS team. he local university, San Diego State, is building a new football stadium of 35,000 that is supposed to be completed in about a year and they have said they’d like to share it with an MLS franchise. As a San Diego native, I’d love to see this and there are a lot of soccer fans in the region.
Right there with you on this. Lots of unrepresented passionate fans of the game in SD. Would love to support our league, the game live/ in person. MLS ok with us crossing the border for Xolos matches?
Is it grass, turf or hybrid turf?
Anyone else pleasently surprised by how many caps he has? With few veterans in the fold getting him back up to National Team level play could be really important for the summer tournaments and Qualifiers.
I love seeing our NT guys reinvesting back in to soccer in the US!!