Chris Gloster signs with New York City FC

Another American youth international is headed to Major League Soccer.

New York City FC announced the addition of left back Chris Gloster today. The 20-year-old USMNT youth international was most recently at PSV Eindhoven, playing with the reserve team. Newcastle United and Danish club SønderjyskE were interested, with the former move blocked by the failure to secure a U.K. work permit. His contract lasts through the 2023 season and includes “an option to extend for two additional seasons.” He arrived at training camp last week and is currently undergoing a mandatory quarantine period.

“It’s such an honor to be joining New York City FC,” Gloster told NYCFC.com. “I know a lot about the club and it’s a team with a good playing style that I feel I fit perfectly into. I’m glad to be back home and it feels amazing to have a team that is really invested in me. Every team that you go to, you learn something new. NYCFC has something great to offer and I hopefully will be able to do my best for this club.”

A former member of the New York Red Bulls Academy, Gloster signed with Hannover 96 in the German Bundesliga following several trials. He began playing with the U-19 squad and was promoted to the reserve team. After an impressive performance at the U-20 World Cup, PSV Eindhoven signed the fullback to a three-year deal.

Gloster struggled to find a breakthrough in the Netherlands. Last year, he made 16 appearances with the Jong reserve side in the Eerste Divisie. Despite regularly training with the first team, the club relegated him to the outskirts, with a mere six appearances this season. In January, Eindhoven granted the 20-year-old the freedom to find a new team.

Gloster is a fixture in the U.S. youth national team setup, regularly featuring at several levels. His fullback play was a key part of the U-20 team that made the quarterfinals of the 2019 U-20 World Cup, starting all five matches. He was included in the U-23 group at the latest January camp but was not named to the preliminary roster for Olympic qualifying.

While leaving a major club for MLS is not ideal and could be viewed as a step in the wrong direction, the move is necessary to seek a better situation. Gloster was not going to find a place in the first-team at PSV. At New York City FC, he has the opportunity to regroup and refocus his career. With a few seasons of development and consistent playing time, perhaps he will eventually achieve his dream of “playing for a big club in the English Premier League.”

Is this a good move for Gloster? Let us know in the comment section.