‘I am ready to make the jump.’ UK star forgoes spring eligibility, signs MLS deal.
University of Kentucky soccer star Kalil ElMedkhar is forgoing the remainder of his senior season eligibility to begin a Major League Soccer career. ElMedkhar signed with FC Dallas of MLS on Thursday after the club engineered a deal with the Philadelphia Union.
ElMedkhar, a native of Middletown, Del., was expected to be selected in the first round of next week’s MLS SuperDraft but FC Dallas apparently did not want to risk that the 21-year-old midfielder would be gone before the team drafted at No. 21 and opted to pay Philadelphia $50,000 to acquire his Homegrown Rights.
MLS rules grant teams first rights to sign local players from their own development academies. ElMedkhar joined Philadelphia’s YSC Academy in 2013 and graduated in 2017 before committing to Kentucky.
“Being the youngest of four in a soccer family, I was blessed with siblings who believed in me from the start of my journey. Thank you to my parents for being the two biggest inspirations in my life and setting an example of dedication and relentlessness,” ElMedkhar said in a UK press release.
“To my coaching staff, thank you for giving me an opportunity to fulfill my dream while earning an education and pushing me to be a better athlete, student and person. Going into college, you saw potential in me even when I did not see it in myself.”
ElMedkhar signed a two-year contract with FC Dallas, which will retain the option to keep him under contract for three years thereafter. FC Dallas made a run to the MLS Western Conference semifinals this season, where it lost to the Seattle Sounders, 1-0, on Dec. 1.
ElMedkhar’s ex-UK teammate, former All-American JJ Williams, was drafted No. 18 overall by Crew SC in the 2019 MLS SuperDraft and currently plays for Atlanta United.
At Kentucky, ElMedkhar was voted to the All-Conference USA First Team as a sophomore and junior. In 2018 he was a key contributor during UK’s best run in program history, in which it went 19-2-1 and won the C-USA regular-season and tournament titles before advancing to the NCAA Tournament Elite Eight.
During Kentucky’s abbreviated non-conference season in 2020, ElMedkhar led the team with eight points and three goals. He scored his final goal as a Wildcat in the team’s fall-season finale, a 2-0 win over UAB. ElMedkhar appeared in 66 matches at UK, recording 20 goals and 21 assists.
“To BBN, every day I was able to wear the UK crest was an absolute blessing. I have no doubt that attending UK was the best decision I’ve ever made,” ElMedkhar said in Kentucky’s release. “After 3 1/2 amazing years, I am ready to make the jump to the professional level.”
