Less than an hour after announcing the contract options declined and taken for the 2020 MLS season, Real Salt Lake announced the signing of Maikel Chang to a contract with the first-team after a wildly successful 2019 with Real Monarchs.

In a club-issued release, RSL executive vice president Rob Zarkos said the signing “solidifies the growth initiatives within the club.”

“Adding Maikel to the roster is very exciting because it further solidifies the growth initiatives within the club,” Zarkos said. “Maikel has shown his pedigree for years in the USL Championship and we feel that now is a good time for him to contribute on the MLS level.”

In the release, Chang described his two seasons with Real Monarchs as “the best of my life.”

“I’ve felt very happy to have spent the time I have with the Monarchs,” Chang said. “These last two years have been the best of my life. I won the USL Championship Final with the Monarchs and became an American citizen which has always been a dream of mine. Now to be with RSL my dream has only grown and I’m excited to be a growing part of our club.”

Rumors about the move surfaced online on Monday.