Minnesota United announced today that the club has acquired goalkeeper Tyler Miller via trade with LAFC. MNUFC traded away $150,000 in 2020 General Allocation Money (GAM) and $50,000 in 2021 Targeted Allocation Money (TAM). Miller has signed a new contract with Minnesota that would keep him with the club through 2022 with a club option for an additional year.
“We think we’ve signed one of the best young goalkeepers in the league, who was invited to the (U.S.) national team last year,” said MNUFC Head Coach Adrian Heath. “We’ve spoken to all the people that have worked with him and they’re all incredibly complimentary. But more importantly, Stuart Kerr, who we believe is the best goalkeeping coach in the league, he thinks the upside is huge with this guy. We are delighted to get him. The fact that’s he’s American helps us with our international numbers. I think the best days of Tyler Miller are ahead of him and I couldn’t be more pleased that we’ve got him.”
Miller joins the Loons after two seasons with Supporters’ Shield winners LAFC. He was selected with the first pick of the 2017 MLS Expansion Draft from the Seattle Sounders ahead of LAFC’s inaugural season in 2018 where Miller started 33 of 33 regular season games. Miller earned the club’s first clean sheet in club history with a 1-0 win against the Sounders in March of 2018 and followed up with nine additional shutouts that season. That inaugural season the goalkeeper was named to MLS Team of the Week three times (Week 1, 25 and 29), started all four U.S. Open Cup games and the first MLS Cup Playoff game in club history. During LAFC’s historic 2019 season, the 26-year-old Miller remained a mainstay between the pipes, starting 28 of 34 regular season games and both of LAFC’s playoff games, with nine shutouts and 72 saves. In his two seasons with LAFC, Miller has played a total of 5,670 MLS minutes, started 63 games, and recorded 19 shutouts and 186 saves.
“We’re really excited to have Tyler,” said MNUFC Technical Director Mark Watson. “We think we now have a top keeper – a national team level keeper – and someone that can be at this club a long time and play at a very high level.”
Prior to joining LAFC, Miller was drafted by the Seattle Sounders in the second round of the 2015 MLS SuperDraft. He spent three seasons with Seattle, mainly playing for Seattle FC 2 in the USL. Miller made his MLS debut in a 2-1 road loss versus Real Salt Lake in March of 2016 and would make three additional first team appearances, including a playoff game appearance in the first leg of the Western Conference Championship against the Houston Dynamo in 2017.
Internationally, Miller has represented the U.S. at various levels. He was first invited to the U18 National Team Camp in 2010 and the U20s the following year. He was named to the U23 National Team in 2015 and received his first senior team camp invite in January of 2019.
Tickets for the 2020 season at Allianz Field will go on-sale in early 2020, with special presales for season ticket members, members of The Preserve and subscribers to the MNUFC newsletter before the general public. Visit mnufc.com/preserve for more info on The Preserve and mnufc.com/newsletter for more info on subscribing to the newsletter.
Transaction: Minnesota trade $150,000 in 2020 GAM and $50,000 in 2021 TAM to LAFC for goalkeeper Tyler Miller. Includes a new contract through 2022 with a club option for an additional year.
VITALS
Tyler Miller
Position: Goalkeeper
Date of birth: 03.12.1993 (26 years old)
Height: 6’4”
Weight: 205 lbs
Birthplace: Woodbury, NJ
Citizenship: United States
