Real Salt Lake sign defender Chris Kablan on loan from Belgium club Waasland-Beveren

TRANSFER TRACKER STATUS: Signing

Real Salt Lake have signed Swiss defender Chris Kablan on loan from Waasland-Beveren in Belgium’s second division, the club announced Wednesday.

The roster move came on the final day of Major League Soccer’s Primary Transfer Window. RSL signed Kablan through the summer, with club options to extend for the remainder of the 2022 season and the 2023 season. Waasland-Beveren is one of six European clubs Real Salt Lake owner David Blitzer has an interest in.

“Bringing Chris to Salt Lake has been discussed for an extended period with both our technical group and the Blitzer football staff,” Real Salt Lake general manager Elliot Fall said in a statement. “We are excited to see how he integrates with the group, his ambition to seize this opportunity, and his potential to provide further depth for our roster. During his time in Belgium, Chris has demonstrated versatility in both a back three and a back four, he can play anywhere across the line, wherever Pablo [Mastroeni] and the staff might need.”

Kablan, 27, joined Waasland-Beveren ahead of the 2021 season and has made 16 appearances. He started his professional career in his native Switzerland with Kriens, where he scored 11 goals in 98 appearances from 2013-17. Kablan then competed for FC Thun in both the Swiss Super League and the Swiss Challenge League, making 105 appearances and scoring eight goals.

Real Salt Lake also re-signed Anderson Julio on a permanent transfer from Liga MX side Atletico San Luis last week and are finalizing a deal to bring Venezuelan international winger Jefferson Savarino back to the club from Brazilian Serie A side Atletico Mineiro, sources told MLSsoccer.com.