Joshua Wynder secures transfer to SL Benfica

A young American who has recently broken into the USMNT is headed overseas. On Wednesday, USL Championship side Louisville City FC announced that Joshua Wynder would move to SL Benfica this summer in a 7-figure transfer deal that is the largest in the league’s history.

According to ESPN’s Jeff Carlisle, the transfer fee will see Louisville City collect $1.2 million plus add-ons. Louisville will also get a 20% sell-on fee, though that can be voided should Benfica pay Louisville $500,000 by the end of 2025.

Wynder has broken out on the international scene in recent months, with a call-up to the USMNT in April for a friendly against Mexico. While he didn’t see the field in that match, he starred on the U.S. U-20 squad that just finished competing at the FIFA U-20 World Cup. He was also a finalist for the 2022 U.S. Soccer Young Male Player of the Year.

Wynder will likely start out with the second team at Benfica, who just won the Primeira Liga for the 38th time. He can register with the club on July 1st.

“I’m very grateful to Louisville City for everything the club has done for me,” said Wynder in a statement. “It’s a dream come true to sign with Benfica, and I can’t wait to get started there. Although my career’s taking me overseas, I’ll always be proud of where I’m from and represent Louisville to the best of my ability.”

“This is a proud moment for Louisville City, our youth academy and our community,” said Louisville City head coach Danny Cruz. “We are going to miss seeing Josh in the locker room each day, but I could not be more proud of the path that he is on in his career. The type of person he is continues to stand out to me, and we look forward to watching him reach new heights to also become the best player he can be.

“We at Louisville City are committed to the progression of our academy players into the first team while maintaining the highest standard of winning. When I look at the alignment we have from ownership throughout the entire club, I firmly believe that we will continue to see talented young players emerge here.”

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