TRANSFER TRACKER STATUS: Extension
Real Salt Lake have signed rising midfielder Diego Luna to a contract extension, the club announced Friday.
The 20-year-old US international's new deal runs through the 2026 MLS season with options through 2028 and elevates Luna to an U22 Initiative roster spot, joining Braian Ojeda and Nelson Palacio in that category. Additionally, winger AndrĂ©s GĂ³mez now occupies a Young DP slot. Colombian striker Cristian Arango and offseason signing Matt Crooks are the club's other two DPs, though Crooks can be bought down with Targeted Allocation Money in the Secondary Transfer Window.
Luna's extension comes after a breakout 2023, where he posted 5g/3a in just over 1,200 minutes before scoring twice in the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs in their Round One series vs. Houston Dynamo FC.
"I’ve continued to buy into the club and buy into the team, you work hard and if good things happen, you get rewarded," Luna said in a release. "... We made it very clear on what we’re looking for and what we want for the future, for me individually as my aspirations and dreams to play in Europe, so we made it very reasonable and fair for both parties."
Luna, whose international profile is also on the rise after impressing with the United States at the FIFA 2023 U-20 World Cup, earned his first senior USMNT cap in January. He logged his first assist of 2024 in Matchday 3, as Salt Lake routed LAFC 3-0 in the middle of a snowstorm to earn their first win of the season.
"This season is going to be big for us. We're going to give it all and our mentality and our work rate is going to be the number one thing for us. On both sides of the ball, and that's going to create freedom for us to make ‘joyful football’ for people to watch," Luna said.
RSL host Rocky Mountain Cup rivals the Colorado Rapids Saturday night at America First Field (9:30 pm | Apple TV - Free).
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