San Diego FC selects UC Santa Barbara midfielder Manu Duah with first overall pick in MLS SuperDraft

San Diego FC’s roster construction continues with the selection of UC Santa Barbra midfielder Manu Duah first in the MLS SuperDraft. As an expansion team that will become the league’s 30th team, San Diego received the first overall pick in the draft and used it to bolster its growing midfield with Generation Adidas product.

Duah will join Alex Mighten, Aníbal Godoy and Jeppe Tverskov as the midfielders currently under contract for Mikey Varas’ team, but with the offseason underway and more draft picks to come, that will continue to grow ahead of San Diego. goes out on the field for the first time will face the Los Angeles Galaxy on Sunday, February 23.

“Above all, Manu fits the profile of the club,” said Varas. “He is a very talented young player, with incredible character and courage. He is a mix between a midfielder who plays with the ball and a number six who is able to help us implement our style of play in terms of taking the initiative with the ball, but he also has a tremendous growth mentality and a winning mentality.

Last season, Duah started 14 games and also recorded his first collegiate assist. Originally from Ghana, he joins Christian Ramirez, Michael Boxtall and Emmanuel Boateng as UCSB players currently in Major League Soccer. Duah also spent time in MLS Next for Santa Barbara Soccer Club and helped them reach the MLS Next Cup playoffs in the U19 age group. Following the model of Sergio Busquets, Duah wants to help his teams control the pace of the match and could have the opportunity to face his idol depending on how the schedule develops in the cup competitions or playoffs.

It will be a step forward for the 19-year-old to reach Major League Soccer, but this is where San Diego’s Youth-Centric Approach come in. As part of the Right to Dream network, San Diego FC is all about helping young players who have the tools to succeed achieve their potential and that’s where Duah is in a great place to thrive.

Varas notes that it is a step forward from college to performing in the professional ranks, but that it will not “limit anyone’s story.” San Diego’s philosophy is to look to win with young players and supporting them and that is exactly what will happen with Duah.

San Diego has also increased its spending power by making a trade with Charlotte FC to send the ninth overall pick in the draft in exchange for the 17th pick and $100K in general allocation funds. That 17th overall pick became yet another trade to go down in the draft. San Diego netted another $75k in GAM and the 24th overall pick by trading to New York City FC.

GAM has many uses, such as reducing a player’s maximum position, including purchasing a designated player below a certain threshold to open space for a new one. It can be used to reduce a transfer fee, sign local players or transfer to other clubs. With San Diego’s needs in multiple areas of the field, these trades will be important going forward.

First round picks