Quakes reward Yueill with extension
The San Jose Earthquakes have put their trust in box-to- box midfielder Jackson Yueill.
In a move that solidified the team’s future in one of its most important positions, the Quakes signed Yueill, 23, to a multiyear contract extension, the club announced Wednesday. The deal will keep the team’s new captain with the club “well beyond the 2022 FIFA World Cup.” Terms were not disclosed per team and league policy.
Yueill has one goal and one assist in 14 games this season for the Earthquakes (4- 6- 5, 17 points), who are in ninth place in the Western Conference entering Wednesday night’s game against the visiting Vancouver Whitecaps. The Earthquakes have moved one place below the playoff line after consecutive victories over the Los Angeles teams.
“I’m excited to continue with this club, this locker room and this coaching staff,” Yueill said in a statement.
Yueill has four goals and 10 assists in 80 games (68 starts) since San Jose selected him sixth overall in the 2017 Major League Soccer draft out of UCLA. His value goes well beyond offensive statistics. Yueill has proven to be a stronger defender and one of the team’s main distributors to launch an attack.
“When we first selected Jackson … we believed he had a lot of potential because of his ability to read the game and his unique technical skill set,” Quakes general manager Jesse Fioranelli said in a statement. Fioranelli said Yueill has earned the trust of the locker room 3 1/2 years into his professional career. He has become the Quakes’ captain since midfielder Magnus Eriksson returned to Sweden in a summer transfer.
“He has also gained the confidence necessary to be a key player, even in pressure situations, for both San Jose and the U. S. national team,” Fioranelli added.
After making 34 appearances across his first two seasons in Major League Soccer, Yueill enjoyed a breakout year in 2019 under coach Matias Almeyda. He made 29 starts in 32 MLS appearances, tallying three goals and five assists, all of which were career highs.