MLS still has miles to go before the league can truly begin to tout its academy system as anything approaching a world-class vehicle for youth development, but it’s getting better. And the progress of individual academies in 2019 has the potential to catalyze that change.



Late last season, I ranked every MLS academy. In this article, I look at some of the biggest factors that will move each club forward in terms of its youth development in 2019. For some, it’s on a player-by-player basis; start a certain youngster and watch him adapt to the system (and vice versa), showing that there is a pathway for others to follow. For others, the issue is more systemic. No matter the means, there is always room to improve in youth development. These are the moves I would prescribe for each MLS club as the new season begins.



Atlanta United: Unleash George Bello



Since he joined the club, Andrew Carleton has been the golden child of Atlanta’s academy. And...