SAN DIEGO (AP) — Galatasaray defender DeAndre Yedlin has joined Landon Donovan in the ownership group of the San Diego Loyal SC of the second-tier United Soccer League's USL Championship.
The 27-year-old Yedlin, a Seattle native who transferred to the Turkish team from Newcastle in January, was on the U.S. roster for the 2014 World Cup and has 62 international appearances.
San Diego started play last season with retired U.S. star Donovan, Andrew Vassiliadis and Warren Smith heading the ownership group, and Donovan as the manager.
The Loyal gained attention when they forfeited a match against the LA Galaxy II over an alleged ethnic slur directed at one of San Diego's players and another against the Phoenix Rising over an alleged homophobic slur directed at another of the San Diego players. The forfeits eliminated San Diego's chance to make the playoffs.
“After speaking with Andrew, Warren and Landon about the club’s values, morals and goals for the future and then seeing those being put to action made it hard for me to turn down this opportunity,” Yedlin, who is Black, said in a statement released by the team Thursday.
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