Real Salt Lake has acquired longtime U.S. national team right back DeAndre Yedlin in a trade with FC Cincinnati.
Cincinnati received $304,700 in general allocation money in the deal announced on Thursday.
The 32-year-old defender is a three-time Major League Soccer All-Star. He came to Cincinnati in March 2024 in a trade with Inter Miami and played in 67 games across all competitions, with a goal and eight assists.
Yedlin's career started with the Seattle Sounders in 2013 before he went to Europe, spending time with Tottenham Hotspur, Sunderland, Newcastle and Galatasaray in Turkey. He returned to the United States to play for Miami in 2022.
“Beyond his skill on the field, his leadership and professionalism will strengthen our locker room and help set the tone," RSL chief soccer officer Kurt Schmid said in a statement. "We believe DeAndre’s impact will be felt immediately, and we’re excited about the role he will play in driving our success now and into the future.”
Yedlin thanked Cincinnati fans in a social media post.
“On the pitch I’ve been pushed and inspired in ways that made me better. Off the pitch I’ve built friendships and connections that’ll last way past football. For that I’m grateful,” he wrote. “It’s never easy to say goodbye but that’s the game. What I’ll carry with me are the memories, the support, and the feeling of being part of something bigger.”
Yedlin, a Seattle native, has played in 81 games with the U.S. national team and was on the 2014 and 2022 World Cup squads.
Real Salt Lake is 9-13-4 this season and sits in 10th place in the Western Conference, just below the playoff line.
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FILE - FC Cincinnati's DeAndre Yedlin, right, dribbles ahead of Inter Miami's Telasco Segovia during the first half of an MLS soccer match, Wednesday, July 16, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete, File)
