Charlotte FC introduces an understated new star
U.S. Men's National Team midfielder Luca de la Torre is most notable new addition, plus Charlotte FC signs new left back, welcomes return of Pep Biel and inks new practice jersey partnership.
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USMNT player Luca de la Torre was mostly business in his first week of practice, and press, upon joining Charlotte FC
Luca de la Torre broke into a smile when asked about his parents at his introductory press conference Wednesday. (Screenshot courtesy of Charlotte FC’s video assets.)
Charlotte FC is in the midst of its fifth roster build, which means it’s familiar now to watch key new players brought into the theater-style “learning room,” as Coach Dean Smith dubbed it, at Atrium Health Performance Park.
The setting for introductory press conferences has stayed largely the same since Charlotte FC moved into its practice complex. The group of assembled media has mostly stayed the same, too. It’s the personalities and early impressions that change.
Wilfried Zaha was laid back and soft spoken but confident and sneaky original. Liel Abada was impeccably dressed in suit and tie and a bit bashful. Harry Toffolo was affable and engaging and well versed in Southern culture. Tim Ream was wound up, like his man bun, ready to go, as if he’d done thousands of interviews, and has.
For this week’s newcomer, Luca de la Torre, Charlotte’s new midfield addition, the vibe Wednesday was subdued. His answers were understated and succinct, usually about two sentences long. The Q and A session was 12 minutes from start to finish, including the portion he did in Spanish, a language the San Diego-born son of a Spaniard didn’t learn until he was playing in Spain’s La Liga.
It’s not that he was terse. De la Torre was pleasant, just perhaps a tad shy in a room full of mics, cameras and new people. His understated manner was a little unexpected, given his experience, at age 27, his tenure with the U.S. Men’s National team — he made the 2022 World Cup roster and figures to do the same this summer — and a career path that took him to England at the age of 15, then the Netherlands, Spain, and back to his hometown of San Diego last year on loan. But after listening and learning some about De la Torre, especially after reading a first-person article he wrote for The Players’ Tribune, my assumption is he’s a bit of an introvert.
De la Torre must save his expression for the field, where the offensive-minded midfielder is known for being a tactician and for his progressive and creative passing. There’s going to be plenty of time to get to know him on and off the field: De La Torre signed with Charlotte through June 30, 2029, with a club option for the 2029-30 season.
When asked the “Why Charlotte” question that’s become typical in these settings, De la Torre made it clear the decision was made without much fuss over what the city of Charlotte was like and how he might adjust.
“I’m always more of a football-first type person,” he said. “I’ve lived all over the world. As long as the football is good, I am happy. But yeah, it is a new part of the world for me, again. My first impressions have been really positive since arriving just a few days ago.”
As for the “football” attraction, he said Charlotte FC is “what I’m looking for at this point in my life and my career, to be a really important player here long-term and to have my best years here.”
De la Torre played 30 games, starting 24, while scoring five goals last year in San Diego’s inaugural season in MLS. He returned to Celta de Vigo of Spain’s La Liga after his loan expired, prior to his transfer here, meaning once again he would be leaving his hometown and parents.
Asking about his parents, both of whom are noted academics in the San Diego area, drew a smile from De la Torre on Wednesday.
“My mom is a research biologist, and my dad is a virologist, so they both have their PhDs,” he said. “I left school when I was 16, so they’re very disappointed.”
Jokes aside, though, based on what he wrote for The Player’s Tribune, De la Torre was encouraged to play professional soccer by his father from a young age and “dribbled through cones my whole childhood.”
You can ask anyone who grew up in Carmel Valley the same time that I did. Every single day that I wasn’t playing a game, my dad would take me to a park after school, and we’d start practicing. Left foot, right foot, in the air, on the ground, around a dog. On some days I hated it, but the truth is that it’s the greatest gift anyone has ever given me.
Those hours with my dad developed my relationship with the ball, and my absolute favourite thing about football is creativity. The feeling when you’ve come up with something on the spot to solve a difficult problem ... It’s special. It’s the reason I fell in love with the game.
De la Torre will wear No. 17, taking Israeli striker Idan Toklomati’s old number. Toklomati will wear No. 9 this year.
Luca de la Torre works the ball during preseason practice this week with Charlotte FC. (Photo courtesy of Charlotte FC.)
Charlotte FC shoring up defense with Austrian left back
After injuries to Souleyman Doumbia and Nathan Byrne last season, Charlotte played much of 2025 thin at the outside spots along the backline. Brit Harry Toffolo was brought in from Nottingham Forest to play left back during the summer transfer window but between his late arrival and a hamstring injury, he didn’t have much of a chance to contribute.
Toffolo is back healthy, and Charlotte FC has taken steps to ensure he’s backed up as well, announcing Thursday it had acquired Austrian left back David Schnegg via waivers from DC United. Schnegg is under contract through 2026 with a club option for 2027.
“David is a left back with experience in both Major League Soccer and Europe that will provide great depth and competition for our back line,” general manager Zoran Krneta said in a release. “He showed his durability and consistency last season, and his arrival will strengthen our defense.”
Schnegg, 27, played in a team-high 35 matches last season for D.C. United across all competitions. He tallied four assists in league play, which was tied for team best.
Charlotte FC is still in the hunt for a center back to replace departed Adilson Malanda. Smith said he’s spoken with three or four potential prospects so far but that the winter window can be challenging with so many international leagues still in the middle of their seasons. Andrew Privett is the likely starter in the meantime next to veteran center back Tim Ream.
Quotable: Pep Biel on return from knee injury
Charlotte FC made attacking midfielder Pep Biel’s contract extension official this week, announcing that he is signed to a designated player contract through 2027 with an option for 2028. Biel returns after his MVP-caliber start to 2025 was thwarted by a hamstring injury and knee tendinitis, which cost him most of the second half of the season and the MLS playoffs.
He said (according to a Spanish-to-English translation from Jorge Torres of Soccer Sheet):
I feel great, and I am very hungry to start this season. I want the games to start now. I want to prove again who I am and that was just a parenthesis of unfortunately two injuries, but the truth is I feel very good physically and mentally.
Charlotte FC reveals new practice jersey with logo from Thompson, a longtime foster care agency in the Carolinas
Will Jones, CEO of Thompson Child & Family Focus, and Tepper Sports CEO Kristi Coleman, reveal Charlotte FC’s new practice jersey, featuring the Thompson logo. (Photo courtesy of Charlotte FC.)
Scorching in the stands at Bank of America Stadium last June, watching Benfica play Chelsea in an afternoon Round of 16 Club World Cup game, Thompson CEO Will Jones had the idea to approach Charlotte FC about becoming their practice jersey sponsor. (Centene was the previous sponsor, and its contract expired at the end of the 2024 season.)
Thompson Child & Family Focus, which is a non-profit agency providing foster care services in the Carolinas, was already a partner with Charlotte FC. But discussing a major partnership occurred only after Jones texted a Tepper Sports & Entertainment staff member to see if he and his school-aged son might move out of the sun into shaded seats. They were invited into the team’s suite.
“It just hit me,” Jones said. “If we work together, we could actually solve a problem. I literally hopped out of my seat, went back and started approaching some of the TSE leadership.”
Charlotte FC unveiled the new Thompson practice kits with the opening of preseason practice on Monday. The club announced a five-year agreement with Thompson that will include community activations, a 50/50 raffle, halftime penalty kick challenges at home games and more. Jones said the goal is to expand their reach to serve 8,000 families in the Carolinas by 2030.
He points out that only one in two children who need foster care in the Carolinas is getting it. His aim is to raise awareness and “mobilize” the community to help. That’s the argument he goes to immediately when asked about making such a financial commitment for a sponsorship as a non-profit, which is a rarity in sports.
“We cannot reach the goal we want to reach, moving from 0.5 home for every child to one home for every child, by having conversations and being at community events,” Jones said. “We need to use a bullhorn for the community to understand what we’re doing and why we’re doing it.”
Roster shuffle
So far, it’s mostly departures, as Charlotte FC trims its roster in preparation for the new season. Serbian midfielder Nikola Petkovic has been loaned to the Seattle Sounders for the season, which will open up a U-22 spot on Charlotte’s roster. That’s likely to go to Rodolfo Akolo, a forward Charlotte acquired last season. He played for Benin in the African Cup of Nations and was given some time off before reporting to practice.
Drake Callender, who was brought in via trade last season to push for minutes behind goalkeeper Kristijan Kahlina, was dealt to Minnesota for $450,000 in general allocation money.
Among other departing players are defender Bill Tuiloma, who returned to his native New Zealand, where he’ll play for the Wellington Phoenix with an eye toward making New Zealand’s national team for the upcoming World Cup. Reserve defender and ’23 Super Draft pick Nick Scardina signed with Rhode Island FC of the USL Championship. And winger Brandon Cambridge, who battled injuries in recent years, has signed with FK Čukarički in Serbia.
Incoming: Charlotte FC drafted three players out of college in the 2026 MLS SuperDraft, starting with the 22nd pick of the first year midfielder Will Cleary of Stanford, defender Luke Adams or the University of Tulsa and goalkeeper Jaheim Wickham from the University of South Florida.
Up Next: Charlotte FC’s preseason schedule
When/Where: Charlotte opened preseason practice at Atrium Health Performance Park on Monday, where it will continue to work out through Jan. 30. Then the club will continue the preseason with five days of training in Miami before traveling to Indio, Calif., for the Coachella Invitational. The preseason tournament begins Feb. 7 and includes 12 MLS teams. Charlotte FC will play two games there:
Charlotte FC vs. San Jose Earthquakes on Feb. 7 at 3 p.m. Eastern
Charlotte FC vs. Minnesota United FC on Feb. 14 at 1 p.m. Eastern
Season opener: Charlotte FC opens the regular season Feb. 21 in St. Louis. The first home game is March 7 against Austin FC.
Carroll Walton is a longtime baseball writer with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution now in her fifth season covering Charlotte FC. She would love to hear from you. E-mail her with questions, suggestions, story ideas and comments!
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