Former Nashville SC Striker Acquired via MLS Re-Entry Stage One Mechanism in December
HERRIMAN, Utah (Thursday, January 23, 2025) – Real Salt Lake has added 23-year-old Ghanaian striker Forster Ajago to its 2025 roster, after selecting the former Nashville SC forward in Stage One of Major League Soccer’s Re-Entry Draft last month. Ajago is signed through this 2025 MLS season, with Club options for both the 2026 and 2027 MLS campaigns.
Ajago – born August 16, 2001 – has been with RSL during the first 10 days of its Utah-based preseason, and will join RSL permanently for its two California-based preseason training stints – the first of which starts today in Santa Barbara, Calif., prior to the Club’s Feb. 19 CONCACAF Champions Cup Round One first leg tilt in San Jose, Costa Rica against CS Herediano.
“Forster brings size, speed, and an incredible work rate up top,” said RSL Chief Soccer Officer Kurt Schmid, now entering his fifth RSL and 15th MLS campaign. “He will have the opportunity to compete and he could be an excellent fit in our game model. We’ve been following him since his college days, and he’s shown glimpses in Nashville of what he can do at the next level. We look forward to his contributions.”
Ajago (pronounced ah – YAW – go) arrives at Real Salt Lake after scoring two goals in 15 appearances last season for Nashville SC, highlighted by the brace last February in his Nashville debut, a 4-0 win against Moca FC (Dominican Republic) in CONCACAF Champions Cup action. During his only previous professional season in the United States, Ajago also found the back of the net seven times in 12 games with Hunstville City in MLS NEXT Pro action.
Prior to his time with the Nashville SC organization, the native of Navrongo, Ghana, played 58 games for three different colleges in the United States from 2020-23, scoring 28 goals. Recruited during the pandemic by the Univ. of Delaware, where he scored one goal in five games, Ajago transferred to the Univ. of Dayton, scoring 13 goals in 35 games for the Flyers in 2021 and 2022 seasons. Ajago matriculated to Duke University for his senior season, finding the back of the net 14 times in 18 games with the Blue Devlis in 2023, earning Second-Team NCAA All-America honors.
“I’m very happy to make this move, coming here is a beautiful opportunity for me; I’ve had a lot of teammates tell me how great this place is, how great the staff is. My idea is that its Utah, let’s make it home,” said Ajago earlier this week, at the Club’s Media Day gatherings following the first few days of training (WATCH: https://mls.imagencloud.com/record/~81d540a564).
“For me personally, it’s been good, it’s been amazing, talking with the coaching staff, it’s always good to have people who are honest and appreciate hard work. I’m seeing guys very happy so far, we enjoy our time with the other guys at the facility.
“For me, I am grateful, to have an opportunity to come here and play. The mountain views are great, the fans are committed, I’m excited to come here and make it a home. Watching from afar, seeing the amount of goals scored by Real Salt Lake last year, on every attack or counter attack the ball going in the net. The philosophy of the team, everyone working, everyone running, I’m excited to contribute to the success of the team this year.
“I have an opportunity to score goals. It’s always a dream to celebrate and dance with the fans, I will open my hands and my soul to grab this opportunity, and I’m ready for the task.
“I love the style of play here. On the first day, in video, I saw how they want us to play. It’s always a joy to have 11 guys ready to work with each other. As a striker, when you press, and then you see others ready to follow your lead – that mentality is here so I’m happy to come and work hard every day. We have a group that is happy, laughing, always together and always working hard.
Real Salt Lake concluded the first stage of its 21st preseason in Utah yesterday at the Zions Bank Training Center in Herriman, prior to today’s departure for the Santa Barbara, Calif., portion of training camp. Following preseason matches against NYCFC and Minnesota during the Jan. 24-30 window, RSL will return to Utah for Herriman-based sessions on Feb. 1-2 before spending 10 days at the Coachella Valley Invitational in Indio, Calif.
The Claret-and-Cobalt are now preparing for its fourth-ever CONCACAF Champions Cup foray, paired with Costa Rican side CS Herediano away on Wed., Feb. 19, with the return leg at America First Field in Sandy, Utah, on Wed., Feb. 26 (6:30p MT kickoff). RSL opens the 2025 MLS campaign – its 21st – away at San Jose Earthquakes on Sat., Feb. 22 (8:30p MT), with RSL’s 2025 MLS home opener set for Sat., March 1 against long-time rival Seattle Sounders FC (2:30p MT at America First Field).
Tickets and information for both competitions can be accessed at www.RSL.com/tickets.
#27 – Forster Ajago
Pronunciation: ah – YAW - go
Position: Forward
Hometown: Navrongo, Ghana
Colleges: Duke (2023); Dayton (2021/22); Delaware (2020/21)
Date of Birth: 16 August 2001 (23)
Nationality: Ghanaian
How Acquired: Via MLS Re-Entry Stage One from Nashville SC (Australia) on Friday, Dec. 13, 2024; contract signed through 2025, with Club options for the 2026 and 2027 Major League Soccer seasons.
