HARRISON, N.J. (February 8, 2023) – New York Red Bulls II have exercised the option to extend the loan of defender Omar Valencia from C.D. Plaza Amador through the end of the 2023 MLS NEXT Pro season, the club announced today.
“We are excited to extend Omar’s loan and be able to have him with the group again this season,” Sporting Director Denis Hamlett said. “We believe that he can have an impact in our system of play.”
Valencia, 18, was loaned to Red Bulls II on August 11, 2022, and appeared in the final three matches of the USL Championship season. The defender started all three matches, logged 235 minutes, and recorded his first professional assist on October 9 against Memphis 901 FC. He made his club debut a week earlier against Phoenix Rising FC on October 1.
“Omar had a strong impact in the matches that he appeared in at the end of last season,” Head Coach Ibrahim Sekagya said. “He has really good qualities and we think he will continue to succeed with the team this year.”
Prior to joining Red Bulls II, Valencia appeared in eight matches for C.D. Plaza Amador in the Panamanian first division. He made his debut with the Panamanian National Team on June 11, 2022, in a friendly against Uruguay. The defender also featured for the Panamanian U-20’s during the 2022 CONCACAF U-20 Championship, where he made four appearances.
TRANSACTION: New York Red Bull II exercise the option to extend the loan of defender Omar Valencia through the end of the 2023 MLS NEXT Pro season on February 8, 2023.
ABOUT MLS NEXT PRO
Launched in 2022 by Major League Soccer, MLS NEXT Pro is a professional men’s soccer league in the United States and Canada that completes the pro player pathway. MLS NEXT Pro continues to grow the game through innovation and diversity, bringing professional soccer to new communities and creating global opportunities both on and off the field. MLS NEXT Pro enters its second season in 2023 with 28 clubs, 27 MLS-affiliated clubs and one independent club, Rochester New York FC. Seven of the MLS affiliates are new to MLS NEXT Pro in 2023: Atlanta United 2, Austin FC II, Crown Legacy FC (Charlotte FC), Huntsville City FC (Nashville SC), LA Galaxy II, Los Angeles Football Club 2 and New York Red Bulls II. Additional MLS-affiliated and independent clubs will join in the years ahead, including Carolina Core FC in 2024 and Cleveland in 2025. MLS NEXT Pro matches will be streamed live on MLS Season Pass on the Apple TV app as part of the groundbreaking partnership between Apple and MLS. For more information about MLS NEXT Pro, visit mlsnextpro.com.
ABOUT THE NEW YORK RED BULLS
The New York Red Bulls are one of 28 teams in Major League Soccer (MLS). RBNY, one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, have competed in the league since its founding in 1996. The Red Bulls play home matches at Red Bull Arena (RBA) in Harrison, New Jersey. The three-time MLS Supporters’ Shield Winners are owned by the Austrian beverage company Red Bull for which the team is named. The New York Red Bulls offer one of the nation’s premier youth soccer development programs, from local soccer partnerships across New York and New Jersey to Regional Development Schools and the Red Bulls Academy teams.
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