Enjoying a successful 2014 and closing in on a Western Conference playoff spot, FC Dallas continued to plan for the future on Wednesday, announcing that they have signed 16-year-old Alejandro Zendejas, part of the US U-17 residency program, as the club's 13th Homegrown Player, the most in MLS history.
Zendejas, the first MLS player born in 1998, will be added to the Dallas roster for the 2015 season. The winger from El Paso, Texas, is also the first player signed by FC Dallas from an affiliate program (FC Dallas El Paso).
“Zendejas is a very complete player,” said FC Dallas assistant coach Josema Bazan in a club statement. “He is a left-footed midfielder that can pass very well and be creative. He is very composed in front of the goal. If the game changes and you need to be tough defensively, he can do that as well. But for me, his best quality is that when you pass him the ball, he can go in any direction. He is very aware of where the pressure is coming from, and he can escape.”
Zendejas made four appearances for the FC Dallas U-16s at the end of the 2013-14 season, scoring in a 3-1 win over Solar on May 31 and competing in the US Soccer Development Academy playoffs in June. The club's affiliation with FC Dallas El Paso began in Sept. 2011.
