Homegrown defenders Real, McKenzie signed
The Union’s illusion of offseason progress continued Thursday with the signing of Homegrown defenders Matt Real and Mark McKenzie, bringing the total of Union Homegrown Players to eight and offseason signings via Bethlehem Steel to three in an offseason that holds promise for the future, but little for the present.
Real, 18, is a Drexel Hill native who signed for Steel last January in lieu of a commitment to Wake Forest. The 5-11, 162-pound left back of Brazilian heritage logged 1,607 minutes over 17 starts last year, scoring once and adding an assist.
Real has been with the Union Academy since 2013 after stints with FC Delco and Lower Merion SC, playing from the Under-14 level up. He’s represented the United States Under-18s and has recently been in camp with the U-20s.
“We couldn’t be prouder to welcome Matt to our first team as a Homegrown Player,” Union Sporting Director Earnie Stewart said in a statement. “Matt has truly earned this contract through his outstanding work along our Path to the Pros, first in our Academy and then in the USL as an 18 year old. Left back is a difficult position, and Matt was exceptional against good competition for Steel FC last year. He brings an attacking-minded outlook to our fullback corps.”
McKenzie, also 18, has made eight appearances with Steel. He played 16 games as a freshman with Wake Forest. The native of Bear, Del., starred for two seasons with the Union Academy U-18s after playing his youth soccer with the Delaware Rush and Wilmington Rangers. He joined Real in camp with the U.S. U-20s, has played for the U-18s and attended camps at the U-15 and U-16 levels.
“We’re delighted to have Mark begin his professional career by joining us as a Homegrown Player this season,” Stewart said. “Mark is a promising center back who made an impact for Wake Forest last year, a very good team at the collegiate level. It’s special any time you sign a Homegrown, and Mark is no exception. In this case, he made a difficult decision to leave school to sign with us, and we don’t take that lightly.”
Long seen as a potential left back of the future for the senior club, Real fills a roster void. The re-signed Fabinho is the only returnee after Giliano Wijnaldum went back to Europe after one season. McKenzie adds an intriguing dimension to a youthful central defense corps that includes fellow HGP Auston Trusty, lottery pick Josh Yaro and 2017 Rookie of the Year candidate Jack Elliott. Thursday’s duo joins Trusty, Derrick Jones and Anthony Fontana as Homegrowns on the roster.
Steel teammate Cory Burke was also signed in December. Both Real and McKenzie are likely to continue to play at Steel while working his way into the first team. Both players will be in attendance at Friday’s MLS SuperDraft, in which the Union don’t have a pick among the first two rounds.