TRANSFER TRACKER STATUS: Signing
The Houston Dynamo have signed US youth international defender/midfielder Ian Hoffman, effective on January 1, 2021. Hoffman will spend the rest of 2020 on loan with USL affiliate Rio Grande Valley FC.
Hoffman, 18, has represented the United States at various levels, including U-16, U-18 and U-20. He spent the last three seasons in Germany, in the academy of 2. Bundesliga club Karlsruher SC. He also spent time in the youth system with FC Cologne.
"Ian is a talented and promising young player who brings valuable European and youth national team experience to our club," Dynamo senior VP and GM Matt Jordan said in a club statement. "Tab and our coaching staff are very familiar with Ian's quality on the field and character off the field. We'd like to welcome him to our organization and look forward to his continued development with RGV prior to joining the Dynamo in January."
Hoffmann most recently played with the US U-20 side in January, though has played with the German U-17 national team as he has duel-citizenship.
When former US U-20 head coach Tab Ramos was appointed Houston manager after last season, it was expected that a youth movement would follow and it has. Under Ramos, the Dynamo have signed five players aged 20 or younger — Nico Lemoine (20), Marcelo Palomino (19), Hoffmann (18), Daniel Rios (17) and Juan Castilla (15).
