TRANSFER TRACKER STATUS: Signing
Orlando City SC have added striker Duncan McGuire after previously selecting him in the 2023 MLS SuperDraft presented by adidas, the club announced Wednesday.
The 22-year-old, who was chosen No. 6 overall (first round) out of Creighton University, was a pre-signed senior before the SuperDraft. His deal with Orlando runs through the 2023 MLS season with options for 2024-26.
"The 2023 SuperDraft was an important building block for our roster and, as we previously said, we were happy to get the players we had our eyes on from the start," Luiz Muzzi, Orlando's EVP of soccer operations and general manager, said in a release.
"After a very successful collegiate career, Duncan was of course high on our list and to get two players that were already signed, both him and Shak Mohammed, it helped us have an important step already taken so we could instantly begin their focus on the field."
McGuire is coming off a breakout year that earned him the 2022 MAC Hermann Trophy, an annual award given to college soccer’s best player. He set the Creighton single-season record for goals (23), picked up Second Team All-America honors, and helped propel his team to the College Cup.
McGuire joins a deep No. 9 corps in Orlando, which also includes Ercan Kara (Designated Player), Ramiro Enrique (U22 Initiative), and Jack Lynn (2022 SuperDraft pick). That gives head coach Oscar Pareja plenty of options as the defending US Open Cup champions ready for Concacaf Champions League and Leagues Cup play, alongside league and domestic competition.
All told, Orlando had a lucrative 2023 SuperDraft that also included attacker Shakur Mohammed (No. 2 overall) and defender Abdi Salim (No. 17 overall) as first-round picks. Mohammed (Duke University) was pre-signed as a Generation adidas player, while Salim (Syracuse University) earned a first-team deal after impressing in preseason camp.
READ MORE: MLS Transfer Tracker presented by Avant
