TRANSFER TRACKER: Signing
Atlanta United inked defender George Campbell to a Homegrown Player deal Tuesday, making him the Five Stripes’ sixth player signed out of their academy.
Campbell, 18, has spent much of the 2019 season with Atlanta United 2 in the USL Championship, featuring as a center back. He even earned Man of the Match honors in his professional debut against Hartford Athletic on March 9.
“George has shown remarkable progress at each step in his development and he’s earned a professional contract with our club,” said Atlanta United vice president and technical director Carlos Bocanegra in a statement. “As a member of our inaugural academy teams in 2016, he’s worked hard to utilize the club’s pathway to the professional level, highlighted by his form in USL this season – most of which came before his 18th birthday.
“He’s just starting to scratch the surface of what he can be in the future, and that’s a testament to his commitment to improve, as well as the program that we have in place through Tony Annan and Stephen Glass.”
Campbell joined Atlanta’s academy set-up in 2016-17 for their inaugural season, having previously featured for Georgia United. The following year, Campbell anchored Atlanta’s U-17 team to a U.S. Soccer Development Academy (USSDA) championship.
Originally from Chester, Pa., Campbell was committed to play at the University of Maryland this coming fall. The Terrapins won the 2018 College Cup and have long produced pro-ready players under head coach Sasho Cirovski.