SANDY, Utah – Real Salt Lake announced Friday that it has traded MF Sebastian Velasquez to New York City FC in exchange for Allocation Money. Per league and club policy, the amount of allocation money exchanged will not be disclosed.
Velasquez played three seasons with RSL after the club selected him in the second round in the 2012 MLS SuperDraft. He was the first junior college player selected in the MLS SuperDraft in six years when RSL selected him with the 36th overall pick out of Spartanburg Methodist College. In three seasons in MLS, he made 38 regular season appearances, starting 15 times. In total, he played 1,517 minutes, scoring one goal with five assists.
The 23-year-old midfielder started in five of RSL’s first seven matches in his rookie season. He logged his first assist in a 2-1 victory over Seattle Sounders FC on March 30, 2013, then scored his only regular season goal for the club in a 2-0 win over the San Jose Earthquakes on October 11, 2014. In the 2013 MLS Cup Playoffs, Velasquez scored the series equalizer in the Western Conference Championships against the LA Galaxy for his first professional goal. RSL went on to MLS Cup in that season, with Velasquez playing all five playoff matches, starting twice in the postseason.
Player: Sebastian Velasquez
Position: Midfielder
Height: 5-foot-7
Weight: 155 lbs.
Date of Birth: February 11, 1991
Birthplace: Medellin, Colombia
How acquired: Selected by Real Salt Lake in the second round of the 2012 MLS SuperDraft on Jan. 12, 2012.
How departed: Traded to New York City FC in exchange for Allocation Money on Dec. 18, 2014.
