In news first broken by Manuel Veth back on August 8, the Lions officially announced today that Orlando City B winger Yutaro Tsukada has signed a first team contract with Orlando City SC through 2025 with club options in 2026 and 2027.
The first ‘new’ signing Orlando City SC have completed during the MLS Secondary Transfer Window, things have been super quiet prior to Tsukada’s first team arrival. But Tsukada will soon be joined by Norway Under-21 international Heine Gikling Bruseth after City agreed a €1.7 million deal for the Kristiansund midfielder.
Sources 🚨Yutaro Tsukada will sign a first-team contract with #OrlandoCity until 2025, with options for 2026 & 2027.
The 23-year-old Japanese winger has scored four goals and four assists in 13 MLS Next Pro matches this season. pic.twitter.com/FUZKNzU9W4
— Manuel Veth (@ManuelVeth) August 8, 2024
MLS SuperDraft ➡️ @OrlandoCityB ➡️ Orlando City
We have signed Japanese forward Yutaro Tsukada on a First Team contract through 2025, with Club options in 2026 and 2027.
— Orlando City SC (@OrlandoCitySC) August 15, 2024
>> CLICK HERE TO VIEW YUTARO TSUKADA’S PLAYER PROFILE <<
Yutaro Tsukada’s college career
Long before Orlando City SC drafted him, Yutaro Tsukada started his youth career with FC Tokyo in Japan before attending Daytona State College in 2020.
At the end of his sophomore season (2021), Tsukada was named to the USC First Team All-America, the NJCAA DI All-American Team, Junior College Division I Men All-East Region, and the Region 8 All-Region Team as well as being named the Region 8 Player of the Year.
He departed the school holding six school records – most goals in a season (20), most goals in two seasons (26), most hat-tricks (4), fastest goal in school history (32 seconds), and most free kicks scored (4) while being the all-time statistical leader (63 points) too.
In 2022, Yutaro Tsukada transferred to West Virginia University to play for the men’s soccer team in NCAA Division I.
At the end of his senior season, he was named to the All-Sun Belt First Team, Sun Belt All-Tournament Team, All-Southeast Region First Team, Scholar All-South Region First Team, TopDrawerSoccer Best XI Second Team, All-America Third Team, and the College Soccer News All-America Second Team.
Yutaro Tsukada’s club career
In 2022, Yutaro Tsukada joined New Mexico United U-23 in USL League Two before representing Capital FC in 2023.
But Tsukada’s career took an upward curve back on December 19, 2023.
This was when Orlando City SC selected the Japanese forward 25th overall in the 2024 MLS SuperDraft
An unused substitute in Orlando City SC’s FC Series 2024 friendly with Flamengo in January, Tsukada has spent most of this year playing with Orlando City B in MLS NEXT Pro.
The 23-year-old has made 14 appearances for Manuel Goldberg’s OCB, scoring four goals and tallying four assists.
His form for Orlando City B has been so impressive that Yutaro Tsukada has been called up three times on short-term loan agreements by Oscar Pareja’s Orlando City SC.
Firstly, for the Lions’ game at Philadelphia Union (A) on May 11 before games against Inter Miami (H) and San Jose Earthquakes (A) thereafter.
And it was during the May 15 match against Florida rivals Inter Miami that Tsukada made his Major League Soccer debut for City.
He replaced Facundo Torres during second-half stoppage time, playing three minutes and offering a brief glimpse of his potential in first team soccer.
After that, Yutaro Tsukada was also included in Orlando City SC’s squad for the 2024 Leagues Cup.
He made a nine-minute appearance off the bench against CF Montréal but remained an unused substitute in the matches against Atlético de San Luis and Cruz Azul.
Proving that hard work gets you far, Orlando City UK is delighted to see Yutaro Tsukada become not only the latest member of Orlando City SC’s first team roster but our first-ever Japanese player in MLS.
Orlando City UK gathered the best tweets following the announcement of Yutaro Tsukada’s first team contract.
🚨✍🏻 𝙉𝙀𝙒 𝙎𝙄𝙂𝙉𝙄𝙉𝙂 ✍🏻🚨
Welcome to the @OrlandoCitySC first team, @YutaroTsukada. 🦁
⚽️ LW / ST
🗓 28 July 2001 (23)
🇯🇵 Japan
⬆️ 5 ft 11 in
➡️ Right Footed
👕 Jersey 3️⃣4️⃣𝙋𝙇𝘼𝙔𝙀𝙍 𝙋𝙍𝙊𝙁𝙄𝙇𝙀 ⚽️: https://t.co/d9UBXov7gl#OCTwitter #OrlandoCity #MLSUK pic.twitter.com/2elDCcGTPv
— Orlando City UK (@Orlando_CityUK) August 15, 2024
Our first announced signing for @YMAPAAsports’ Global Soccer Division is Japanese Wonder Boy @YutaroTsukada, as he signs a multi-year contract to @OrlandoCitySC of @MLS!
Big thanks goes out to @9ricardomoreira, Luiz Muzzi and the entire Orlando City staff.
📸: Mark Thor pic.twitter.com/XnO5G44W7U
— Dennis Chin (@Dchinny15) August 15, 2024
The future is bright! 😎
Congratulations to Yutaro Tsukada 🇯🇵 on his #OrlandoCity 🦁 first team contract. 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
(Also, shout out to his agent and Orlando City legend @Dchinny15).
— John Rawlins (@JohnRawlinsOCSC) August 15, 2024
Welcome, @YutaroTsukada https://t.co/0KKV4NP3yJ pic.twitter.com/4QnN2PiOCi
— Ricardo Moreira (@9ricardomoreira) August 15, 2024
Definitely saw this one coming! I was wondering if we were waiting on a possible green card or anything.
Kid can definitely be a depth asset and happy he’s gonna get some more first team action. #VamosOrlando #OrlandoCity https://t.co/ytcCJ62A64
— mike. (@mikeaspillane) August 8, 2024
The next big draft pick success for us https://t.co/EZl2IZVcPk
— Chris (@OrlandoCountySC) August 8, 2024
Completely deserves ithttps://t.co/Br0aCFfKAj
— Tony (@Thony_0812) August 8, 2024
he was amazing with West Virginia. I’m not surprised he got this move so early in his career https://t.co/hEf3cKIjpc
— xylph (@aufcXylph) August 8, 2024
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