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Sandy • For the second time in less than a month, Real Salt Lake is tapping into its USL affiliate for the stretch run of the 2016 Major League Soccer season.
Four weeks after re-signing center back Chris Schuler, RSL announced on Tuesday the signing of Real Monarchs attacking midfielder Ricardo Velazco as a Homegrown player. The 23-year-old RSL academy product from Casa Grande, Ariz., lead the Monarchs in goals (eight) and assists (five) in the club's second year in USL play.
"He's the type of player that deserves a chance," RSL general manager Craig Waibel said. "If you're going to have a second-division team and you're going to bring guys through it, then this is the type of player that deserves to get a really good look and a chance to stick with the first team."
Waibel set out to strengthen the club's depth at center back and attacking midfield before the MLS roster freeze takes effect on Sept. 15. On Aug. 11, it re-signed Schuler, the 28-year-old former RSL center back who spent the past nine months working his way back from knee and foot surgeries in 2015.
The decision-making process slowed a bit when 24 hours after Schuler was officially re-signed, RSL's breakout defender of the year, Aaron Maund, suffered a toe fracture that could leave him sidelined for the remainder of the regular season. With Maund sidelined, RSL has four center backs on first-team contracts: Schuler, Justen Glad, Jamison Olave as well as Highland High and RSL academy product Phanuel Kavita.
Velazco's signing represents the third Monarchs-to-RSL transition dating to the club's inaugural season in USL in 2015. Forward Emery Welshman signed a first-team contract in the offseason, but didn't make an appearance with RSL after undergoing season-ending hip surgeries this summer.
The Monarchs' best-producing player in 2016 joins the section of the RSL midfield manned by star Javier Morales for the past decade. Velazco will compete for minutes in a back-up role behind Morales along with Luke Mulholland and rookie Omar Holness.
"It's not something where we are adding Ricardo thinking he's going to come play 500 minutes before the end of the season, but certainly has done really well with the Monarchs," Waibel said.
Velazco grew up in Casa Grande, Ariz., in the backyard of RSL's residential soccer academy that he eventually starred at. Before there was organized soccer in Casa Grande, Velazco and his father, a semi-truck driver, would drive over 70 miles south to Tucson for practice and matches. He joined the RSL academy his senior year and played there two years. After a year at Cal-State San Bernardino, Velazco transferred to Louisville where he had 13 goals and 14 assists in two seasons. He signed with RSL and the Monarchs at the conclusion of his junior year.
"[RSL] was always my Real Madrid to all the other kids because I grew up always looking up to them," Velazco said last year.
He becomes the first player in franchise history to transition from the RSL academy to the Monarchs at the USL level, then to the first-team with RSL. Velazco is the sixth academy product currently on the RSL roster.
"This means the world for me and my family," Velazco said in a club release. "This has been a dream for me and my dad for a long time. I had a very unique route and there have always been eyes on me. I told myself along the way that it's never over unless I give up and I'm glad I took the route that I did and I'm thankful for the mentors I had that helped me along the way."
Kyle or no Kyle?
Jeff Cassar expects RSL captain Kyle Beckerman to be available for Saturday's match at Portland. Could the 34-year-old midfielder be available tomorrow against the L.A. Galaxy?
It's a matter of how many minutes he plays Tuesday should he earn the start or come off the bench for the U.S. men's national team's World Cup qualifier against Trinidad & Tobago in Jacksonville, Fla.
"It's definitely going to be open for discussion," Cassar said. "I've talked to Jurgen [Klinsmann], I've talked to Kyle, we just want to get him back here and see how he feels after the flight, whether he plays or not. I've already spoke to our team. We're preparing for whether he plays or doesn't play [tonight]."
Injury updates
Aaron Maund was a spectator at training Tuesday morning at Rio Tinto Stadium. The 25-year-old defender remains in a walking boot after suffering a toe fracture in early August.
"He's not getting surgery right now — we're going that route," Cassar said. "Now it's just waiting to see how it heals if it heals the right way."
Midfielder Sunday Stephen is also nearing full fitness, Cassar added. The 27-year-old midfielder in his first year at RSL suffered multiple facial fractures in an on-field collision on June 22. Cassar said RSL is "in preparation to have [Sunny] available whether it's tomorrow or Saturday."
Justen Glad (hamstring tightness), Schuler (general soreness) as well as forward Olmes Garcia (adductor tightness) spent some time working with the RSL training staff Tuesday.
Twitter: @chriskamrani