REPORT: USA Youth International Brady Scott joining Nashville SC

An American player is reportedly making a move to Major League Soccer.

According to a report by Tom Bogert of MLSsoccer.com, goalkeeper Brady Scott is signing with Nashville SC. The 21-year-old U.S. youth international was most recently with Bundesliga club FC Köln. After three seasons in Germany, his contract was not renewed due to a desire “to start the new season with three goalkeepers.” There reportedly was additional interest from teams in Denmark and Belgium.

Scott moved to Germany in 2017. He made 29 Regionalliga West appearances with Köln’s reserve side. Despite 11 starts last season, the club desired a new direction with its depth chart. His path to the first team was blocked by 27-year-old mainstay Timo Horn and German youth international Julian Krahl. It would have been further obstructed by the recent loan acquisition of Hannover’s Ron-Robert Zieler.

Scott has been a fixture at various U.S. youth national team levels. He was a member of the 2017 and 2019 U-20 World Cup squads, starting in three matches at the latter competition. The California native won the Golden Glove award at the 2018 CONCACAF U-20 Championship.

Nashville has a 1-2 record and is in 12th place in the Eastern Conference after being forced to withdraw from the MLS is Back Tournament. Veteran goalkeeper Joe Willis is the expansion club’s current number one and should be difficult to supplant for the time being. Long-term failure by Scott to win the job will likely result in a dearth of playing time due to the club not having a reserve side. However, provided he secures the backup role, there should be some opportunities in the midst of a condensed 2020 schedule. While not perfect, Nashville offers more potential for growth and advancement than Köln.

The path to first team minutes is difficult for any young player, but goalkeepers have a greater struggle due to the obvious limitation that only one can play at a time. This move should not be viewed as a great setback because many do not find the right environment until their mid-20s or later. Despite his pedigree, Scott must continue to develop and work his way into a starting job. He would not be the first player to move to MLS and then become a national team regular, so American fans should continue to monitor his progress.

Is this the right move for Brady Scott? Let us know in the comment section.