11-year veteran Tony Beltran, the most successful draft pick RSL has ever made, has re-signed with Real Salt Lake.

From a club-issued press release:

“I have heard some writers say that the only book that matters is the next one. Now I understand the same holds true in sports. For a long time I didn’t know if there was going to be another game, the next one, or where that game where that game would be,” Beltran said. “Next year, RSL and I will continue the journey we started together 11 years ago. The next game will be here, in this city that means so much to me, a place that I’m proud to call home.”

After the horrible injury in the final Rocky Mountain Cup game of 2017, he would spend the entirety of the last season on the rehab list. He finally started looking back to game fit at season’s end, but never saw the field.

He’s now one of the remaining 3 players from the 2009 MLS Cup squad, and at age 31 it will remain to be seen if he replaces Brooks Lennon in his customary location, or if the two rotate. In any case we can hope that Beltran can be a mentor to Lennon if he’s to remain in that role going forward.