LANSING, Mich. — Lansing Ignite FC has added former U.S. U17 National Team midfielder Omar Castro ahead of the 2019 USL League One regular season, pending league and federation approval.
The 22-year-old competed at various levels in the U.S. national team setup before moving to Germany in 2013, signing with Eintracht Braunschweig.
“Omar is a player who I rate very highly,” LIFC Head Coach Nate Miller said. “He has impressive technical proficiency and is a real footballer. He fits very nicely into the type of midfield we are building and is also a very hard worker and has excellent defensive instincts.
“Going to Germany as a teenager to start his professional career has given him a level of maturity and experience that will help him make an impact on our squad. Omar has immense potential and his ability to dictate possession will be important for us.”
Castro becomes the 10th player signed with LIFC, joining Xavier Gomez, Rafa Mentzingen, Christian Silva, Kyle Carr, Nathan Lewis, Steeve Saint-Duc, Kyle Ihn, Rhys Williams and Kevin Coiffic.
“I can’t wait to start working with Coach Miller and really make an impact with Lansing Ignite,” Castro said. “I’ve enjoyed my time playing in Germany the past few years, but I’m really looking forward to competing in the United States.”
All LIFC players report to Lansing for preseason training in February 2019. Lansing will kick off its League One regular season against the Richmond Kickers in Richmond, Virginia, on March 30, while LIFC hosts its home opener against the Kickers at 7 p.m. ET on April 13 (BUY TICKETS [lansingignite.com]). For more information on Ignite FC, visit www.lansingignite.com [lansingignite.com] or follow the team on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram [instagram.com].
