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Real Salt Lake Signs Homegrown Aaron Herrera to Contract Extension

June 23, 2022 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Real Salt Lake News Release


HERRIMAN, Utah - Real Salt Lake has signed current Homegrown defender and former RSL Academy and University of New Mexico standout Aaron Herrera to a contract extension, keeping him with the Claret-and-Cobalt through at least the 2024 Major League Soccer campaign, with a Club option for 2025 and 2026 seasons.

"I was just a 15-year-old from Las Cruces with a dream when I joined the RSL Academy in Casa Grande, Arizona back in 2012," recalls Herrera, who signed with RSL in December, 2017 as the Club's 14th Homegrown player. "The last five seasons here in Salt Lake have brought me so much, have helped me grow on and off the field, so I simply couldn't be more excited to extend my career with Real Salt Lake."

"Now being a part of what (Head Coach) Pablo Mastroeni, (General Manager) Elliot Fall and the new ownership is building here, on top of the great culture and foundation we have had from the Academy to the Monarchs to the first team, I am always grateful. Every time I get to go out and represent this badge and play in front of these incredible fans in Utah, our goal is to reward them and this community by winning trophies."

Herrera, now 25, recently celebrated his 100th career MLS regular-season game on April 17 at Yankee Stadium, returning from a hamstring injury that marred his early 2022 season. Overall, the former New Mexico Lobo standout (2015-17) has made 107 MLS appearances (102 starts), scoring one goal and adding 16 assists in his RSL career, including 11 assists last year. Only fellow Homegrown DF Justen Glad reached the century mark before Herrera, and only Glad boasts more Homegrown appearances.

"Hopefully we can get a trophy at some point, that is the main goal," reminded Herrera, when pressed to talk about himself. "The individual things don't really matter if you're not winning any trophies as a team. The goal is to win a Supporters' Shield, win an MLS Cup, win Leagues Cup, win CONCACAF; that's what we are all aiming for."

This season, Herrera has started eight of the Club's 16 matches, primarily as a right back in a back four, although Mastroeni did use Herrera as a right wingback and as a right centerback in a back three last year in a 3-5-2 setup.

"Aaron epitomizes what Real Salt Lake's development paradigm represents," stated Fall, who has been with RSL for the entirety of Herrera's growth from the RSL Academy, through Aaron's college career, and his quintet of MLS campaigns. "Aaron has been a standout MLS defender throughout his professional career, college, his youth international career as well. We are exceptionally proud of how he represents this Club, and we are elated that his presence here is secured for the foreseeable future."

#22 - Aaron Herrera

Position: Defender

Height: 5-11

Hometown: Las Cruces, NM

Date of Birth: 6 June 1997 (25)

Nationality: American

How Acquired: Signed via Homegrown contract on December 15, 2017

TRANSACTION: Real Salt Lake extend DF Aaron Herrera through 2024 MLS season, with Club option for 2025&26 on Thursday, June 23, 2022.

As of June 23, 2022, Real Salt Lake's current roster during the ongoing MLS campaign, listed alphabetically by position, is as follows:

Goalkeepers (4): Gavin Beavers, Jeff Dewsnup, Zac MacMath, David Ochoa

Defenders (11): Andrew Brody, Zack Farnsworth, Justen Glad, Bret Halsey, Aaron Herrera, Erik Holt, Chris Kablan, Johan Kappelhof, Jaziel Orozco, Marcelo Silva, Tate Schmitt

Midfielders (11): Julio Benitez, Nick Besler, Scott Caldwell, Maikel Chang, Bode Davis, Damir Kreilach, Jasper Löffelsend, Diego Luna, Everton Luiz, Pablo Ruiz, Jude Wellings

Forwards (9): Sergio Cordova, Chris Garcia, Anderson Julio, Axel Kei, Jonathan Menendez, Justin Meram, Rubio Rubin, Jefferson Savarino, Bobby Wood

Through the first 16 games of the 2022 MLS campaign, RSL (8-4-4, 28 pts, 2nd West) has surged near the top of the 2022 MLS Supporters Shield race, just two points shy of LAFC. Winners of four of its last five matches and unbeaten in all seven home contests, for the first time in Club history RSL has opened the year with seven consecutive sellouts at Rio Tinto Stadium. Now in his first full year at the helm, Head Coach Pablo Mastroeni has utilized 28 players throughout the injury-filled first third of the year, the Club seeing nearly 110 combined individual game availabilities lost due to injury, suspension or international duty.

Real Salt Lake finished last season in dramatic fashion, booking its place in the Audi 2021 MLS Cup Playoffs on Decision Day before making a run to the Western Conference Final following a 14-14-6 regular-season record. RSL remains home this Saturday, June 25, hosting Columbus Crew SC to continue a summer stretch that sees five of seven matches from June 18 - July 23 played on the Wasatch Front, where the Club owns the most dominant home-field advantage (2.07 pts per game, .713 win pct.) in Major League Soccer since opening Rio Tinto Stadium in Oct., 2008.

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The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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