LAFC expanded its roster on Wednesday with the addition of 18-year-old Shaft Brewer Jr., acquiring the young attacker from FC Dallas in exchange for $50,000 in General Allocation Money (GAM) and a fourth round pick in the 2019 MLS SuperDraft. The new acquisition will add depth and youth to an already well-paced frontline, expanding the club’s roster to 23 total players. And despite his youth, Brewer boasts several years of international youth academy experience.
“Shaft is a young and exciting player who already has gained international experience,” head coach Bob Bradley said. “We look forward to working with him to further his development with LAFC.”
Brewer earned his first call-up to the U.S. U-18 team when he was 16, playing on the U-18 team that won the 2016 Vaclav Jezek Tournament. He then received subsequent call-ups to several U-20 camps, and is currently training with the squad at a 12-day camp in France and Spain.
A native of Sacramento, Brewer will be returning to his home state after a stint with the youth academy at RB Leipzig in Germany. He scored one goal in three games with the team’s U-19 squad. Brewer started his professional career with the youth academy at Sacramento Republic FC, leading the U-15 club with 12 goals in his first season. He joined the FC Dallas youth academy the next year, notching 15 matches and eight starts before he signed with RB Leipzig and departed for Germany.
“Shaft is a dynamic and promising player who performed well throughout the preseason,” VP of Soccer Operations and General Manager John Thorrington said. “We are excited to officially welcome Shaft back to California and to our Club.”
The Breakdown:
The cost: A fourth round selection in the 2019 MLS SuperDraft and $50,000 in General Allocation Money (GAM)
The payoff: 18-year-old striker Shaft Brewer Jr.
An overview on Brewer:
Position: Forward/Midfielder
Born: October 28, 1999
Height: 5-foot-9
Weight: 155 pounds
Birthplace: Sacramento, CA
Previous club: RB Leipzig