TRANSFER TRACKER STATUS: Signing
Nashville SC have signed Colombian U-23 center back Miguel Nazarit, sources tell MLSsoccer.com, in news subsequently officially announced by the club on Monday. Nazarit has signed as a free agent, having last played for Once Caldas in Colombia before his contract expired.
Nazarit, 22, has been involved with the Colombia U-23 national team as recently as August and is age-eligible for the 2020 Olympics. The Colombia U-23s qualified for the Olympics in 2016 for the first time since 1992. Their first qualifying match is in January against Argentina.
The defender, listed at 6-foot-1, made 23 appearances in the Colombian top flight over the last two seasons. In 2018, he helped lead the club to a second-place finish in the Clausura.
Nazarit is the ninth defender signed by Nashville and is expected to compete for regular minutes in central defense alongside Dave Romney and Jalil Anibaba, as well as giving head coach Gary Smith greater flexibility to deploy three-center-back formations.
“Miguel is a talented central defender who has gained outstanding experience playing in the top-flight in Colombia,” said Nashville SC GM Mike Jacobs in a team statement. “His combination of athleticism and 1-v-1 defending makes him someone who has the potential to be a key contributor in our team.”
In defense, the club are expected to lean on US national team left back Daniel Lovitz and Honduran international Brayan Beckeles at right back. Jimmy Medranda, Eric Miller, Ken Tribbett and Taylor Washington round out the current defensive corps for the expansion side.
Nashville continue to build their inaugural 2020 roster, now up to 23 players under contract, for their first MLS match in less than three months, at home against Atlanta United on Saturday, Feb. 29.
