Minnesota United announced today that the club has signed forward Patrick Weah as a Homegrown Player, the second in club history. Weah has signed a four-year contract with Minnesota, with a club option for an additional year.
“It’s another chapter in us showing that we are committed to the youth development,” said MNUFC Head Coach Adrian Heath. “As I said last year when we signed Fred [Emmings], if there was more kids that we felt were ready to make the step, we would have done it. Patrick [Weah] is another one of them kids. He’s got loads of raw, natural talent. We have to harness that over the next few years, and then try and teach him the sort of nuances of the game, because of all the physicality in the game. And the basics, he’s got in abundance. We’re delighted he’s decided to join us. It’s the start of a lot of hard work for him but we feel as though he’s got a lot of raw attributes to make the next step. Can we continue this now, can we continually bring one or two players from the system below, to keep promoting them to the first team squad? That’s got to be the aim.”
The 17-year-old is a product of the former MNUFC Academy and Wayzata High School and currently plays for Saint Louis University. Weah is a 2017 Minnesota Soccer State Champion and 2016 runner-up, and he was named as 2017 Minnesota State Player of the Year, 2016 All-State and All-State Tournament Team and 2016 All-Conference. He led Wayzata High School in goals and assists as a freshman and sophomore, and was a leading scorer for the MNUFC Academy.
MNUFC returns to the pitch for its fifth season in MLS. Follow Minnesota United’s social channels and check our website at mnufc.com for regular updates on the club.
VITALS
Patrick Weah
Position: Forward
Date of birth: 12.05.2003 (17 years old)
Height: 6’1”
Weight: 180 lbs
Birthplace: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Hometown: Maple Grove, Minnesota