USA youth international Andrew Carleton signs with Atlanta United

United States youth international Andrew Carleton signed a Homegrown contract with Major League Soccer's Atlanta United, which will begin playing in 2017.

Carleton, 15, spent the last year with the U.S. Soccer Residency Program in Bradenton, Florida and has featured with various levels of the youth national team program.

Former U.S. men's national team captain Carlos Bocanegra is Atlanta United's technical director and commented on the signing.

"We’re excited to welcome Andrew to the club," Bocanegra said in a press release.  "He’s an outstanding young talent with strong ties to Georgia soccer so we’re very proud to name him the first homegrown player in club history.  Andrew has been a mainstay with the U.S. Youth National Teams from a young age and we look forward to watching him develop as a professional."

Carleton recently led the U-17 national team to a championship at the Mondial Football de Montaigu in France and a second place finish at the All-India Football Federation Youth Cup. He should feature heavily in the run up to the 2017 U-17 World Cup.