San Diego FC Selects Five Players, Makes Two Trades in 2024 MLS Expansion Draft

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MLS San Diego FC

San Diego FC Selects Five Players, Makes Two Trades in 2024 MLS Expansion Draft

December 11, 2024 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
San Diego FC News Release


SAN DIEGO - San Diego FC (SDFC) announced today the Club made five selections and completed two trades in the 2024 MLS Expansion Draft. SDFC picked Orlando City midfielder Heine Gikling Bruseth, Charlotte FC defender Hamady Diop and Colorado Rapids fullback/midfielder Jasper Löffelsend. Additionally, SDFC selected St. Louis CITY SC midfielder Hosei Kijima during the Expansion Draft and traded him to D.C. United in exchange for $400,000 in 2025 General Allocation Money (GAM). SDFC also selected New York City FC forward Thiago Andrade and traded him to Toronto FC in exchange for the club's natural first-round pick in MLS SuperDraft 2025 and up to $250,000 in conditional GAM if certain performance metrics are met. San Diego also retains a percentage of a future transfer fee if Andrade is sold out of MLS by Toronto.

"We are thrilled to add three more exciting players to our squad as we continue to build our inaugural season roster," said Sporting Director Tyler Heaps. "We believe that the players we selected all fit into our identity and style of play. We are also confident that the trades we made will provide the necessary resources for us to make additional moves within the league in the coming days. We look forward to welcoming Heine, Hamady and Jasper to San Diego FC."

Heine Gikling Bruseth

Position: Midfielder

Height: 5'10''

Birthdate: April 6, 2004

Hometown: Gjemnes, Møre og Romsdal, Norway

Orlando City SC acquired midfielder Heine Gikling Bruseth from Norwegian side Kristiansund BK in August 2024. The Norwegian youth international joined the Lions via transfer as a U22 Initiative player, signing a contract through the 2026 season with club options for both 2027 and 2028. Bruseth, 20, began his professional career with Kristiansund during the 2020-21 Eliteserien season, making his debut at age 17. Bruseth made appearances in 37 matches over his career with Kristiansund, totaling two goals and two assists.

Hamady Diop

Position: Defender

Height: 6'0''

Birthdate: June 6, 2002

Hometown: Dakar, Senegal

The No. 1 overall pick by Charlotte FC in MLS SuperDraft 2023, Hamady Diop was a Generation adidas signing out of Clemson University, where he was a member of the 2021 NCAA College Cup winning squad. Diop, 22, anchored a Tigers backline that pitched nine shutouts across his 20 starts, while also contributing three goals and three assists. The Senegalese defender has appeared in three MLS matches with Charlotte FC and is currently on loan with Serbian side FK Čukarički through January 15, 2025.

Jasper Löffelsend

Position: Fullback/Midfielder

Height: 5'11''

Birthdate: Sept. 10, 1997

Hometown: Cologne, Germany

Entering his fourth MLS season, midfielder Jasper Löffelsend has appeared in 69 MLS matches (36 starts) for Real Salt Lake and the Colorado Rapids. In 2024, the 27-year-old German appeared in 18 matches for the Rapids while helping the squad advance to the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs as the Western Conference's No. 7 seed. Löffelsend was selected by Real Salt Lake in MLS SuperDraft 2022 out of the University of Pittsburgh, where he recorded two goals and 18 assists in 36 appearances. In both his junior and senior years, he was named the ACC Defensive Player of the Year and is a two-time member of the All-ACC First Team.

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