Charlotte FC won’t make its MLS debut until 2022, but that isn’t stopping the club from being active on the transfer market. After previously signing Spanish midfielder Sergio Ruiz, Charlotte now also added Australian youth international Riley McGree from Adelaide United to their roster.
Charlotte confirmed the pickup on Monday but didn’t disclose the terms of the deal. The club did announce that McGree will be immediately loaned to the English Championship side Birmingham City, where he will spend the 2020/21 season.
Riley McGree made his professional debut for Adelaide as a 17-year-old player in 2016 and ended up playing a stretch of impressive games for the club that secured him a transfer to Belgium side Club Brugge. However, McGree only spent six months with Brugge, failing to record a single appearance, before returning to Australia for loan stints with Newcastle Jets and Melbourne City.
In the summer of 2019, McGree rejoined Adelaide and produced an impressive campaign that saw him produce 12 goals and six assists in 27 games in all competitions.
McGree also has nine games with Australia U-23 under his belt but is still waiting to be called up for the senior team.
“Riley is a young international player who has already proven to be an impressive goal scorer,” said Charlotte’s sporting director Zoran Krneta. “We are building our team with young talent that matches the aggressive style of play, and intensity in the game, that our fans will love to watch. Riley is a perfect fit for us, and we are thrilled to secure his signature for Charlotte FC with so many clubs in Europe fighting for him. His loan move to Birmingham City in England’s Championship, one of the top competitive soccer leagues in the world, will help Riley get to the top of his game and ready for our start in 2022.”
