Days after acquiring grizzled veteran Carlos Bocanegra, Chivas USA have signed the youngest player in their history.
The Goats announced Friday that they'd signed 16-year-old forward Caleb Calvert as a Homegrown player. Calvert, who stands at 6-foot-2 and weighs 160 pounds, recently suited up for Chivas USA in several Reserve League matches and will be eligible for selection in the club's upcoming visit to Montreal on Sunday.
”Caleb Calvert is a very talented player whose development in the Academy we’ve been following for a long time,” director of soccer Francisco Palencia said in a statement released by the club. “He’s a player with very good movement in the entire field and a great finisher inside the box. I believe he has in him all the requirements we need in a forward at Chivas USA.
“The Academy is one of our priorities at Chivas USA so it means a lot to us to have players come out and develop within our system. Signing players from our Academy helps us a lot as they know the system we are implementing from our Youth Teams all the way through the First Team."
A native of Wrightwood, Calif., Calvert has been a part of Chivas USA’s Youth Academy for more than two years. He scored in last month's 2-1 reserve win against the Seattle Sounders.
“I’m beyond thrilled. I never thought this moment will come this soon and this fast but I’m living my dream right now, and it’s the most incredible feeling anyone can have,” Calvert said in the same statement. “Hopefully I get adjusted and comfortable soon and from there I can start playing my game and doing what I do best, scoring goals."
Before Calvert, current Chivas USA midfielder Marco Delgado, who earned two starts in the last two games for the Goats, was the youngest player to sign a professional contract at 16 years, 10 months and 17 days. Calvert beat him by a couple of months at 16 years, 8 months and 10 days.
