Charlotte ‘the full package’ for left back Jere Uronen

MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER

Left back Jere Uronen takes a team approach to shoring up Charlotte FC's defense, which has conceded an MLS-worst 40 goals in 23 league games.

Jere Uronen didn’t expect soccer to take him to the United States so quickly.

The Charlotte FC left back joined the Crown on Aug. 2 – the last day of the summer transfer window – after playing with Stade Brestois 29 of France’s Ligue 1. Uronen, whose deal runs through 2025 with an option for 2026, expects to be available for Saturday’s home match against LAFC.

“I never really thought I’d be playing here, to be honest,” Uronen, 29, told reporters Wednesday. “I enjoyed European football, but the full package [in Charlotte] was just really intriguing. It sounded like something that would be perfect sporting side and off the pitch.”

Uronen, who has 63 appearances for Finland’s national team as well as UEFA Champions League and Europa League experience, acknowledged the deal that brought him to Charlotte was accomplished faster than expected.

“It did go by really, really quick,” he said. “I think I got the first call from my agents Monday morning around 10 o’clock and by the end of the next day we had already signed the papers. It did go by extremely fast but I’m really happy we got it done.”

The short-term challenge is large for Uronen: help Charlotte shore up MLS’ worst defense in time to mount a challenge for a playoff berth. The Crown (6-8-9, 26 points) is six points off the pace for the Eastern Conference’s final postseason spot. Beyond 2023, Uronen said he was impress by Charlotte’s long-term goals.

“It’s the full package,” he said. “As a footballer, the sporting side is most important, and I think they have a really nice project going on here. It’s got a lot of ambition. They know where they want to be in a few months; in a year, in two years, so it’s really clear what we want to do as a club and that’s something that really intrigued me.”

Another angle to consider was moving his family to the U.S. Living in Charlotte, they agreed, was an opportunity worth taking.

“When you’re a father of two and you’re a family of four, it’s the full package,” Uronen said. “That also matters a lot and for us it sounded like the perfect place to be with a family. There were no negative sides aside from the travel from Europe.”

Charlotte, which has conceded an MLS-worst 40 goals in 23 matches, needs shoring in the back end. Uronen said success is possible with a collective effort.

“Conceding goals is always a team effort – the same way when we score goals – it’s always all 11,” he said. “As a defender, when you go into a game your main goal is to keep a clean sheet and that way you give your team a chance to win the game. The staff is really clear in what they want and it’s up to us players to execute it.”
 

Comments