TRANSFER TRACKER STATUS: Re-signing
Major League Soccer’s Iron Man is staying on the Wasatch Front.
Real Salt Lake announced on Tuesday that long-serving midfielder Kyle Beckerman has re-signed with the club on a multi-year contract, extending the tenure of the league’s all-time career leader in regular-season games played, games started and minutes played among field players.
A nine-time MLS All-Star and US national team World Cup veteran with 58 caps to his name, Beckerman, 35, has served RSL since arriving via a trade with their regional rivals the Colorado Rapids in 2007 and captained the squad for much of that time.
“This is home. It’s where we wanted to be,” Beckerman said in a club release. “What we built in the second half of the season was so exciting to be a part of. To be able to be here for a couple more years and build with these young guys – they are going to be another year older and a little bit more experienced – there is a lot of upside for this team. To be here and be a part of it is exciting.”
Over the years the defensive midfielder has become one of RSL’s most recognizeable faces, helping the Claret-and-Cobalt reach the postseason in eight of the last 10 campaigns, including the capture of the league championship in 2009 as well as runs to the finals of MLS Cup 2013, the 2010-11 CONCACAF Champions League and the 2013 US Open Cup.
Across all competitions, including CCL, Open Cup and postseason action, the Crofton, Maryland native has 338 appearances, 329 starts, 33 goals and 37 assists for Salt Lake. Last season he started 26 matches and scored four goals – the most he’s scored since 2013 – as the leader of a young RSL side that made an unlikely late playoff push that fell just one point short of the Western Conference’s final berth.
“I cannot imagine an RSL team next year without Kyle here. Without Kyle with the armband on. Without Kyle leading the charge,” said head coach Mike Petke. “I think that he is iconic here in Salt Lake, and that he is one of the best players in the history of this league. And I think he deserves and will earn anything that he gets. There will be a statue here of Kyle one day. It’s a no-brainer that Kyle is back; we couldn’t do this without him.”
