MLS Los Angeles FC

LAFC Signs Free Agent Defender Aaron Long

January 4, 2023 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Los Angeles FC News Release


The Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC) announced today that the Club has signed free agent defender Aaron Long to a two-year contract.

"Aaron is among the top central defenders in MLS and the U.S. National Team pool, and we are incredibly excited he has chosen to come to LAFC," LAFC Co-President & General Manager John Thorrington said. "We are confident that Aaron's ability and experience will prove to be an important part of our continued success as a club. I would like to thank his representative, Shaun Higgins, for his help throughout the process. Our supporters and entire organization look forward to welcoming Aaron, his wife Elise, and their family to LA."

Long, 30, joins LAFC after spending the past seven seasons with the New York Red Bulls.

Aaron joined the Red Bulls in 2016 and quickly emerged as one of the top defenders in MLS. He was named the 2018 MLS Defender of the Year and was an MLS All-Star in 2018 and 2022 while helping lead the Red Bulls to the 2018 Supporters' Shield.

A member of the 2022 U.S. National Team at the World Cup, Long is a Southern California native from Oak Hills, CA. Overall with New York, he made 175 appearances (169 starts) and scored 14 goals with six assists in 15,061 minutes across all competitions, including 15 Concacaf Champions League appearances.

Long has played 29 times for the U.S. National Team, scoring three goals and two assists in all competitions. He appeared in two 2022 World Cup Qualifiers before being a part of the U.S. team at the 2022 World Cup. He made his debut in a 1-1 draw vs. Peru in an international friendly on Oct. 17, 2018 and was named to the 2019 Gold Cup Best XI after scoring two goals in five games.

A star at Serrano High School, Long was a two-time Big West All-conference selection at UC Riverside and made 71 appearances, registering 13 goals and five assists from 2010-2013. In 2014 he was drafted in the second round (36thoverall) by the Portland Timbers and went on loan stints with USL sides Orange County Blues and Sacramento Republic where he earned the 2014 USL Cup. Long signed with the Seattle Sounders in July, 2014 and went on loan with the Tacoma Defiance (formerly Seattle Sounders II) where he made 30 appearances and registered one goal and one assist during the 2015 season.

Name:Aaron Long

Position:Defender

Born:10/12/1992

Birthplace:Oak Hills, CA

Hometown:Oak Hills, CA

Citizenship:USA

Last Club:New York Red Bulls

TRANSACTION:

Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC) signs free-agent defender Aaron Long to a two-year contract.

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