Charlotte FC signs Premier League veteran Ashley Westwood
Charlotte FC has acquired another impact player from overseas.
The club has signed English defensive midfielder and free-kick specialist Ashley Westwood from Burnley FC, the team announced Saturday. The news confirms reports that circulated earlier this week.
Westwood, 32, will occupy an international roster slot — not a Designated Player slot — and has signed a contract through 2024 with a club option for 2025.
He has made 286 career English Premier League appearances, including 26 starts during the 2021-22 season. He suffered a fractured ankle in April. Per a report from Major League Soccer, Westwood hasn’t played in a match since Burnley got relegated, but he has returned to training.
Westwood is merely the latest in a string of personnel splashes this offseason for Charlotte FC. Among those splashes: The team is reportedly finalizing a deal for Argentine forward Enzo Copetti. The club traded up for the No. 1 pick in the December MLS SuperDraft to take defender Hamady Diop. The club has transferred striker Daniel Rios and midfielder Jordy Alcivar. And Christian Fuchs, another defender with Premier League experience, announced his retirement and subsequent addition to the club as an assistant coach this week.
The Charlotte FC preseason begins next week. Single-game tickets go on sale to the general public Jan. 12 at 10 a.m. Check the club’s website for more information.
