Real Salt Lake has increased its depth at right back with the signing of Welsh international Adam Henley.
The 23-year-old defender, whose signing RSL announced Tuesday, will be added to the team’s roster pending the receipt of his International Transfer Certificate.
“When I sat down with [general manager] Craig [Waible] and Dane [Murphy] the scout,” Henley said, “when they came over and met me in Manchester and ran me through the direction that the club was going ... you know how serious the club together is willing to make strides forward. And for me, personally, it was something I really wanted to be a part of.”
Why did Adam Henley want to come to RSL? pic.twitter.com/nqwRWFfzUG
— Maddie Lee (@maddie_m_lee) January 9, 2018
Henley, who was born in Tennessee, developed in the Blackburn Rovers academy system. He made his Premier League debut at 17 years old and played with the Rovers first team for six seasons.
A hamstring injury limited him to just three appearances in his final season with Blackburn, and the Rovers released him that summer. Henley said he feels healthy now and that the time off has helped him improve his overall strength.
Henley’s signing helps RSL fill the hole at right back left by Tony Beltran’s knee injury. Beltran is expected to be out for the first six months of the regular season.
To begin adjusting for Beltran’s absence, RSL also signed Academy product Aaron Herrera last month to his first MLS contract.