SANDY, Utah (Tuesday, February 11, 2020) - Real Salt Lake has signed free agent forward Justin Meram ahead of the 2020 MLS season. The former Columbus Crew SC, Orlando City SC and Atlanta United winger and nine-year MLS veteran will join the team in training camp, bolstering the roster as RSL looks to improve on its third-place finish in the Western Conference in 2019.
“Justin is a versatile, accomplished attacking player in our league,” Real Salt Lake General Manager Elliot Fall said. “He has proven year after year to be productive in multiple roles and that experience will provide excellent value to our young roster.”
Meram, 31, has 43 goals and 37 assists in 243 career MLS regular season matches across nine seasons in the league. His top seasons came in 2016 when he had five goals and 13 assists and 2017 when he notched 13 goals and seven assists. From 2014-2017, he averaged 8 goals and 7.3 assists in 32.5 matches for Columbus before departing prior to the 2018 season. He also has three goals and two assists in 16 MLS Cup Playoff matches, three goals and five assists in 16 matches in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup and made two appearances in CONCACAF Champions League. Originally selected 15th overall in the 2011 MLS SuperDraft, he made his MLS debut in the 2010-11 CONCACAF Champions League Quarterfinals against Real Salt Lake.
Internationally, Meram made his debut for Iraq in 2014 and has since accrued 33 caps with four goals to his credit. Three of his four goals came in 2018 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers.
Real Salt Lake finished the 2019 season third in the Western Conference at 16-13-5 (53 points) and advanced to the Western Conference Semifinals for the second consecutive season. RSL will open the 2020 season on the road against Orlando City SC on February 29 before returning to Rio Tinto Stadium for the home opener against the New York Red Bulls on Saturday, March 7, at 12 p.m. MT.
RSL is currently in the fourth leg of preseason training camp in Tucson, Arizona, preparing for the club’s 16th season in Major League Soccer.
TRANSACTION: Signed free agent forward Justin Meram on February 11, 2020.
