The summer transfer window for the crown has been extremely dramatic and unpredictable. Two weeks ago, Charlotte fans received some amazing news that the club was nearing a deal to sign Calvin Stengs from Feyenoord as the club's new central attacking midfielder. However, in dramatic fashion, the deal ended up collapsing, leaving Charlotte fans stunned. The crown was also rumored to be interested in Miguel Almiron and Giovani Lo Celso, but these deals never came to close to happening. Charlotte fans will be left disappointed because the crown was not able to land these impeccable players who could have made Charlotte a contender in the Eastern Conference. The good news is that Charlotte still had a good transfer window that will help the squad heading into the second part of the MLS season.
The first deal of the summer transfer window was the signing of USMNT center-back Tim Ream--from Fulham--on a free transfer. Ream will be with the Crown until 2026 with an option for a further year. This is a great signing that will bring defensive stability to the crown's backline, one which has already been one of the most consistent defenses in the league.
The second deal that Charlotte completed during the MLS transfer window was the signing of Pep Biel on loan from Olympiacos until the end of the season. Biel is joining the Crown as a designated player and will occupy an international roster slot until the end of the season. During his career he has scored 53 goals and registered 41 assists through 277 appearances. Biel will bring his excellent ball control, precise passing, shooting and vision into the team which has lacked a player of his skillset during the first part of the season. Pep Biel can be a massive signing for the crown if he can find some consistent form during the rest of the season.
The third piece of business that Charlotte completed is the departure of midfielder Brecht Dejaegere to his first club KV Kortrijk in Belgium. Brecht made 33 appearances for the crown, scoring 2 goals and adding two assists during his time at the club. Brecht struggled to find consistency while at the club and with Dean at the helm Brecht no longer fit into the plans of the new manager. However, Brecht did bring an incredible personality into the team and club that fans will deeply miss as he heads back to Belgium.
Charlotte's fourth signing of the summer transfer window was Israeli international forward Idan Toklomati from Maccabi Petah Tikva FC. Idan joins the crown after a successful stint at his former club, making seventy appearances while scoring seventeen goals and earning seven assists while at the club. Idan will join the crown on a contract with Charlotte FC development team Crown Legacy. However, Idan will be brought up to Charlotte's main roster during the offseason. Idan has many promising attributes such as his finishing and aerial ability that could help him become a star in the MLS. We already saw a glimpse of Idan's potential after he scored in his debut for Crown Legacy in a 4-1 win this past weekend. Idan Toklomati is a player Charlotte FC fans should be keeping an eye on, as I believe he is the most exciting signing during the summer window.
Charlotte's final signing came after the transfer window closed. This was the signing of free agent, Jamie Paterson, on a contract through 2024 with an option for a further year. Jamie joins the Crown after a successful fourteen-year career in England which saw Jamie make 442 appearances across six clubs in the championship and league one. Last season Jamie played 44 matches for Swansea City, scoring seven goals, and adding six assists as well. Jamie will add great depth to Charlotte FC as the team looks to finish in an automatic playoff position after suffering a defeat to the NY Red Bulls in the playoff wildcard game last season.
What do you think of Charlotte FC's busy summer transfer window? Did the crown do enough to make a serious playoff push?
Images: CBJ, Charlotte FC, MLS
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