D.C. United have acquired former University of Maryland standout Gordon Wild.

“We are excited to be adding a young talent in Gordon,” Dave Kasper, United General Manager and VP of Soccer Operations, said. “Gordon has all the tools to be an MLS player, and we believe a change of scenery will do him well.”

Wild joins the Black-and-Red after spending the previous two seasons with Atlanta United in MLS. After an impressive two years (2016-2017) with the University of Maryland where he scored 22 goals in 40 appearances, Wild was selected 37th overall by Atlanta in the 2018 MLS SuperDraft as a Generation Adidas player. He was then loaned to the Charleston Battery in the USL Championship on Feb. 13, 2018. In his first professional season in the USL, he scored seven goals and recorded three assists in 32 league appearances. He returned to Atlanta United at the conclusion of the stint.

The next season, Wild joined the Atlanta United 2 in the USL Championship on March 14, 2019. He has scored one goal in eight appearances this season. He was waived by Atlanta United on July 17, 2019.

Wild is a product of the FC Mainz academy in Germany and went to the United States to play for the University of South Carolina (USC) Upstate Spartans in NCAA Division I. In his first season in collegiate soccer, he scored 16 goals in 15 appearances before transferring to the University of Maryland under head coach Sacho Carovski. He played with current Black-and-Red players Donovan Pines and Chris Odoi-Atsem during his stint at Maryland.

D.C. United have also waived defender Akeem Ward. Ward was drafted 14th overall by the Black-and-Red in the 2019 MLS SuperDraft. He made one MLS appearance for United in the 0-0 draw against Toronto FC on May 15.

“We wish Akeem all the best in his next endeavors and thank him for his time with the club,” Dave Kasper, General Manager and VP of Soccer Operations, said.

Player: Gordon Wild

Position: Midfield

Birthplace: Leonberg, Germany

Country: Germany

Birthdate: 10/16/1995

Age: 23

Height: 5’10"

Weight: 170

Previous Club: Atlanta United

Status: Generation Adidas

Transaction: D.C. United acquire Gordon Wild