Real Salt Lake announced on Wednesday that technical director Dane Murphy has left the club to pursue a position with higher-level responsibilities with D.C. United.
The University of Virginia alum and Connecticut native returns to the East Coast, where he also spent two seasons playing with D.C. United in 2008 and 2009.
United have yet to officially confirm the hiring, but in his final media availability of the season, head coach Ben Olsen praised the move to add to the club's technical staff should it come to fruition.
"It shows more commitment from the ownership towards the infrastructure here and keeping up with the way this league is going," Olsen said. "If it is Dane in the end, I've known him for a long time and I think he's got a good eye for players. He's a smart kid, and I think he's done a very good job with Salt Lake, as you can see."
United have not had a technical director since the club promoted Dave Kasper to his current role of general manager more than a decade ago. But the club will have more need than ever for additional technical staff with the launch of its USL side, Loudoun United, next season.
Murphy joined RSL’s technical staff prior to the 2017 season as a scout, but was elevated to technical director prior to the 2018 season. He worked alongside RSL head scout Andy Williams in recruiting several key players to RSL in the last two seasons.
“We would like to thank Dane for his work with the club over the last two years. In our office we encourage professional growth and if that means expanding to opportunities outside the organization we will be nothing but supportive,” RSL GM Craig Waibel said in a statement. “We wish him the best of luck with D.C. and hope that we meet again one day in an MLS Cup final.”
