The 17-year-old forward becomes the second homegrown player in the Major League Soccer team’s history
Minnesota United have confirmed the signing of Liberian-American forward Patrick Weah on a four-year deal, with an option of an additional year.
Patrick, 17, nephew of 1995 World Player of the Year and current Liberian president George, becomes the second homegrown player in Loons history.
Born in Monrovia before heading for the United States of America at a very tender age, the teenager played for MNUFC Academy and Wayzata High School before heading for Saint Louis University.Weah is a 2017 Minnesota Soccer State Champion - where he was named 2017 Minnesota State Player of the Year as well as making the 2016 All-State and All-State Tournament Team.
Discussing the transfer, Minnesota manager Adrian Heath is pleased to have the youngster – whom he labels as a ‘natural talent’.
“It’s another chapter in us showing that we are committed to the youth development,” head coach Heath told the club website.
“As I said last year when we signed Fred [Emmings], if there were more kids that we felt were ready to make the step, we would have done it.
“Patrick [Weah] is another one of them kids. He’s got loads of raw, natural talent. We have to harness that over the next few years, and then try and teach him the sort of nuances of the game, because of all the physicalities in the game.
“And the basics, he’s got in abundance. We’re delighted he’s decided to join us. It’s the start of a lot of hard work for him but we feel as though he’s got a lot of raw attributes to make the next step.
“Can we continue this now, can we continually bring one or two players from the system below, to keep promoting them to the first team squad? That’s got to be the aim.”
Patrick took to social media to express his delight about his first professional contract. “Can’t wait to get started,” he tweeted.
The forward - who is eligible to represent Liberia and USA at international level - becomes the third African in the Allianz Field Saint Paul giants’ team after Bakaye Dibassy (Mali) and Romain Metanire (Madagascar).