Atlanta United announced today that it has signed forward Yosef Samuel to a Short-Term Agreement for the club’s upcoming match against Charleston Battery in the Fourth Round of the 2018 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. A local product, Samuel was one of the first players to sign with ATL UTD 2 and scored the first goal in club history on March 24 in a 3-1 win over New York Red Bulls II.
An MLS club may sign players from their USL affiliate to Short Term Agreements (up to four-day contracts) for Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup matches, in addition to CONCACAF Champions League, Canadian Championship, and exhibition matches. A club may sign a player to a maximum of four Short-Term Agreements each season (maximum of 16 days). The rule differs slightly for MLS League Season games, where players may also be signed to Short-Term Agreements, but only in cases of Extreme Hardship. Atlanta United used that clause three times this season with Paul Christensen.
Born in Ethiopia, Samuel moved to Atlanta in 2007 and later joined the Philadelphia Union Academy in 2014. He played two seasons in Philadelphia’s academy with the U-18s where he scored 10 goals in 37 appearances. After graduating from the academy, he signed with the club’s USL affiliate Bethlehem Steel FC in 2016 and returned home to Atlanta, signing with ATL UTD 2 on Jan. 24, 2018. In addition to scoring the club’s first goal in its inaugural match against New York Red Bulls II, the 20-year-old forward has added one assist in six matches, including five starts.
PLAYER PROFILE
Name: Yosef Samuel
Position: Forward
Birthdate: July 7, 1997 (age: 20)
Birthplace: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Hometown: Atlanta, Georgia
Height: 5-11
Citizenship: Ethiopia and USA
Current Club: ATL UTD 2
Transaction: Signed a Short-Term Agreement with Atlanta United on June 5, 2018.
