Transfer Tracker

FC Cincinnati sign defender Geoff Cameron to multi-year deal

TRANSFER TRACKER STATUS: Signing

FC Cincinnati have signed veteran center back Geoff Cameron to a guaranteed contract through the 2022 MLS season with an additional option year, it was announced Thursday.

Cameron was out of contract after last competing for Queens Park Rangers in England’s Championship, captaining the second-division side. Highly versatile, the 35-year-old can also play defensive midfielder.

“We have prioritized adding to our current backline and we welcome the opportunity to add Geoff Cameron to our team,” FCC general manager Gerard Nijkamp said in a release. “He has been a consistent contributor in nine seasons in England and we believe he will compete with our current players to earn regular minutes.”

Cameron had played in England since 2012, when he joined Stoke City FC and featured in nearly 170 Premier League matches for The Potters. Across three seasons with QPR, Cameron had two goals and four assists in 91 games across all competitions.

The Massachusetts native has earned 55 US men’s national team caps, memorably featuring at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil and 2016 Copa America Centenario on American soil. He earned his international debut in a February 2010 friendly against El Salvador and last featured in a September 2017 World Cup qualifier against Honduras.

Cameron got his professional start in 2008 with Houston Dynamo FC after playing collegiately for West Virginia (2004-05) and Rhode Island (2006-07). Picked in the third round of the 2008 MLS SuperDraft, he made 144 appearances for Houston while scoring 14 goals and adding 15 assists across five seasons. He was a two-time MLS All-Star (2009, ‘11) and one-time Best XI selection (2009).

Cameron should help patch up FC Cincinnati’s defense, which has struggled during the early portions of the 2021 campaign. He’ll also get to work under head coach Jaap Stam, a center back for the Dutch national team and clubs like Ajax and Manchester United during his playing career.