FC Cincinnati president and general manager Jeff Berding had enough to worry about simply in getting a first team together for the expansion club’s inaugural MLS season. With just nine months to get all of that together following the club’s announced arrival, figuring out what a development team might look like just wasn’t a top priority.



But now, with a full roster and nowhere to give reserves playing time, FCC is having conversations with at least one USL team about a potential partnership for this season. Sources tell The Athletic that USL Championship side North Carolina FC, based in a Raleigh suburb, is in pole position to be FCC’s lower-division affiliate in 2019, though the clubs are still negotiating. A spokesperson from NCFC declined to comment.



Berding would not confirm the identity of the clubs FCC is negotiating with, but did say that a USL partnership in 2019 would be a short-term solution before the MLS club...