Ahead of the 2021 MLS season, six Homegrown Players from FC Dallas will join Bayern Munich for a three-week training period at the German Bundesliga club that runs from January 6-29.
The group is comprised of defender Justin Che; midfielders Edwin Cerrillo, Brandon Servania and Thomas Roberts; and forwards Ricardo Pepi and Dante Sealy. The opportunity is part of the clubs’ Elite Player Development Partnership, and all six players are between the ages of 17 and 21. Most have experience with North Texas SC, FCD's reserve team that plays in USL League One (third division).
Pepi is a US youth international who is coming off a breakout year where he scored three goals and had one assist in 19 games (four starts) across the regular season and Audi MLS Cup Playoffs. Cerillo appeared in two FC Dallas first-team matches last season after a bigger role in 2019, while Servania appeared in 12 games (four starts).
Sealy made five appearances off the bench in 2020, while Roberts and Che both didn’t play in an MLS match. Che is a US youth international who signed a Homegrown deal in October.
The FC Dallas-Bayern Munich relationship has led to annual trips for promising young talents from MLS. It’s also produced the transfer of center back Chris Richards from FCD to Bayern in January 2019. The US men’s national team defender has carved out a bigger role at the reigning UEFA Champions League winners in 2020-21.
One of MLS’s top clubs for youth development, FC Dallas transferred right back Reggie Cannon to Portugal side Boavista FC this past season. Bryan Reynolds, another right back, has been heavily linked with a European move as well.
