REAL SALT LAKE ACQUIRE FC DALLAS DF SAM JUNQUA AND UP TO $500,000 IN GENERAL ALLOCATION MONEY IN EXCHANGE FOR FW ANDERSON JULIO
Real Salt Lake Acquire FC Dalaas DF Sam Junqua and up to $500,000 in General Allocation Money in Exchange for FW Anderson Julio
28-Year-Old American Defender Veteran of 116 Games Played with FC Dallas, Houston Dynamo; Started 26 Games in 31 Appearances During 2024 Campaign w/ Dallas
HERRIMAN, Utah (Friday, December 20, 2025) – Real Salt Lake today acquired FC Dallas DF Sam Junqua and up to $500,000 in 2025 General Allocation Money in exchange for veteran Ecuadoran striker Anderson Julio. In addition to Junqua, RSL receives $200,000 in 2025 General Allocation Money (GAM), another $200,000 in 2026 GAM and up to $100,000 in incentive-based GAM.
Junqua played 65 games across all competitions during the 2023/24 seasons for FC Dallas, scoring four goals total, including three in League action. During the previous four seasons with Houston Dynamo, Junqua made 51 appearances, knocking home two goals as a left-sided centerback.
“Adding depth and versatility across the back line – especially as it comes from a veteran of our league over the last six seasons – is necessary,” said RSL Chief Soccer Officer Kurt Schmid, noting that the Club’s 2026 preseason is just 21 days away. “As we prepare for multiple competitions and a gauntlet of games in the early-season schedule, we expect that Sam will bolster our stability in the setup.”
The former Univ. of California Golden Bear was drafted eighth overall in the 2019 MLS SuperDraft by the Houston Dynamo, playing sparingly in his first two seasons as a professional, albeit with 17 appearances with Rio Grande Valley in the USL in 2019, prior to the Covid-affected 2020 campaign. The 2021 and 2022 seasons saw Junqua emerge with 18 starts for Houston, before moving to FC Dallas early in 2023.
Real Salt Lake convenes for its 21st preseason on January 11, 2026, the Club preparing for its fourth-ever CONCACAF Champions Cup foray, paired with Costa Rican side CS Herediano away on Feb. 19, with the return leg at America First Field in Sandy, Utah, on Wednesday, Feb. 26 (6:30p MT kickoff). RSL opens the 2026 MLS campaign away at San Jose Earthquakes on Sat., Feb. 22, with the Claret-and-Cobalt’s 2026 MLS home opener set for Sat., March 1 against long-time rival Seattle Sounders FC. Tickets and information for both competitions can be accessed at www.RSL.com/tickets.
# xx – Sam Junqua
Pronunciation: “JUNK – wuh”
Position: Forward
Hometown: Saratoga, Calif.
College: Cal-Berkeley
Date of Birth: 9 November 1996 (28)
Nationality: American
How Acquired: Signed via trade from FC Dallas (Major League Soccer)
TRANSACTION: Real Salt Lake acquires DF Sam Junqua from FC Dallas, along with a total of $500,000 in General Allocation Money, in exchange for FW Anderson Julio. RSL receives $200,000 in 2025 General Allocation Money (GAM) and another $200,000 in 2026 GAM, along with up to another $100,000 in incentive-based GAM.
2025 RSL Full-Season Ticket Packages NOW ON SALE at ***www.RSL.com*** or by calling 844.Real.Tix.
