17-year-old turns pro with USL Championship champs.
Orange County SC have been working to build a youth-to-pro-to-abroad pipeline the past few years, and on Thursday, they’ve added another player they hope will follow that path, announcing the signing of forward Oluwakorede “Korede” David Osundina to his first professional deal. Osundina, 17, joins from the Barça Residency Academy in Casa Grande, Arizona, which has produced a number of pros in recent years. Osundina signs a multi-year contract with the club.
“We are very excited to add Korede, a top US soccer prospect to our roster,” President of Soccer Operations Oliver Wyss said in a team statement. “Korede’s pure talent is off the charts, but he also possesses a remarkable maturity for his age. Korede will continue to maximize his development in our proven professional environment, and we know for a fact that he has a very bright future ahead of him.”
Osundina was born in Naperville, Illinois, and prior to joining the Barça Academy, he played for Crossfire Premier youth club, a powerhouse in Washington state. He is eligible to represent the United States or Nigeria, and had verbally committed to Cornell University before deciding to turn pro.
“I’m very thankful for the opportunity of joining this successful club,” Osundina said. “I’m looking forward to giving my all in contributing to the squad as well as furthering my development as a young professional soccer player.”
“Joining the current USL Champions is a testament to Korede’s ability and it is no surprise to us given the level of his performances during his time with our academy that he has landed in such a great environment and top club,” said Barça Academy Director/U19 Head Coach Ged Quinn. “I am sure he will thrive in the culture that Coach Richard [Chaplow] and his staff have created in Orange County. This is just the beginning of a very exciting career in the professional game for Korede and we look forward to tracking his success.”
OCSC open their USL Championship title defense on Mar. 12 when they head to the Rockies to take on Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC.
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