The New York Red Bulls on Monday announced that defender Connor Lade has been loaned to the NASL’s New York Cosmos, although Lade can be recalled at any time.
The 24-year-old Lade has been part of the Red Bulls organization since joining the club’s academy in 2007 and signed as a Homegrown player after his collegiate career at St. John’s University. Lade made 26 regular-season and two playoff appearances as a rookie in 2012, even earning a call-up to US national team camp in January 2013.
But he has seen limited playing time over the last two years, making just 10 MLS appearances and only two starts. The 5-foot-6 Lade, primarily a left back and left midfielder, has seen time as a defensive midfielder for the Red Bulls Reserves in 2014, starting each of the team’s six games and recording one assist.
“I’m very excited to be joining the Cosmos,” Lade said in a Cosmos statement. “I look at it as a chance to join another quality organization and continue my professional development and work on all aspects of my game.”
Lade was recently selected to participate in the Chipotle MLS Homegrown Game in Portland, but his participation remains to be determined.
“This loan enables Connor to get some much needed playing minutes in competitive action while also keeping him fresh for the remainder of the 2014 season,” Red Bulls sporting director Andy Roxburgh said in a statement. “We will monitor Connor’s progress as the year proceeds.”
After finishing second in the NASL’s spring season and beating the Red Bulls 3-0 (Lade did not play) en route to the US Open Cup Round of 16, the Cosmos are just 1-1-1 in the fall season.
Head coach Giovanni Savarese has been dealing with injuries to center backs Carlos Mendes, Jimmy Ockford (on loan from the Seattle Sounders) and Roversio, forcing outside back Hunter Freeman to play in the middle, so Lade could see minutes at outside back.
