Expansion San Diego FC takes Ghanaian midfielder Manu Duah first in MLS SuperDraft

By Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press on December 20, 2024.

Expansion San Diego FC took UC Santa Barbara midfielder Manu Duah with the first pick in Friday’s MLS SuperDraft.

The six-foot-four freshman from Ghana started 14 games for the Gauchos. Duah also played for the Santa Barbara Soccer Club, helping it reach the MLS Next Cup playoffs in the under-19 age group.

Saint Louis University defenderMax Floriani went second to the San Jose Earthquakes with Wisconsin freshman forward”¯Dean Boltz going third to the Chicago Fire.

Duah and Boltz signed Generation Adidas contracts with the league ahead of the draft while Floriani signed a contract as a senior.

CF Montreal was slated to pick 13th in the three-round draft with the Vancouver Whitecaps drafting 15th overall.

Toronto FC, which landed Trinidad and Tobago wingback Tyrese Spicer with the first overall pick last December, traded away this year’s first-round pick (ninth overall) to San Diego in the deal that netted TFC Brazilian winger Thiago Andrade.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 20, 20.4