Former Sounders goalkeeper joined by defenders Lillard, Guediri and winger Liadi for new season
LEESBURG, Va. – Loudoun United FC announced on Friday it had signed goalkeeper Trey Muse as one of four new arrivals at the club ahead of the upcoming 2022 USL Championship season. Muse is joined by defenders Grant Lillard and Sami Guediri, and winger Azaad Liadi in United’s squad. The signings are pending league and federation approval.
Muse was a product of the Seattle Sounders FC Academy, where he became a Homegrown signing in 2019. Muse made 24 appearances over two seasons for Tacoma Defiance in the Championship, recording 107 saves. This past season, he went on loan to fellow Championship club San Diego Loyal SC and recorded 61 saves in 15 appearances, posting a save percentage of 72.3 percent. A native of Louisville, Ky., Muse also competed at Indiana University, where he led the NCAA in goals-against average (0.26), shutouts (18), and save percentage (90.3%) in 2017, and has represented the United States at the U-18 and U-20 national team levels.
“Trey [Muse] is a young and talented goalkeeper that has proven himself through his college and professional career,” said Loudoun United Head Coach Ryan Martin. “He was a part of the Seattle Sounders roster that won the 2019 MLS Cup and has tremendous professional experience at a young age. He is a great shot stopper with impressive distribution, and we are excited to add those qualities and his experience to our goalkeeping core.”
Lillard joins Loudoun after most recently competing for Major League Soccer’s Columbus Crew. Another former Indiana University player – where he competed with Muse in his senior season in 2017, Lillard signed as a Homegrown player with Chicago Fire FC in 2018. The 26-year-old made 12 appearances and recorded two assists for the Fire before being traded to Inter Miami CF ahead of the 2020 MLS season. Lillard was traded once again midway through the 2020 season, joining the Crew.
“We are excited to have Grant join Loudoun United in 2022,” said Martin. “He is a talented defender with great size so he will be a welcomed addition at center back. Grant also has played with a variety of MLS teams in his career and won the 2020 MLS Cup with Columbus Crew SC so his experience will be an asset to our roster.”
Liadi arrives after a standout season for USL League One club South Georgia Tormenta FC, where he recorded nine goals and five assists in 27 appearances in the 2021 regular season. A Michigan native, Liadi attended Saginaw Valley State University from 2016-2018, where he made 56 appearances and scored 11 goals. The 23-year-old transferred to Georgia Southern Eagles for his senior season in 2019, where he recorded three goals in 16 appearances. After college, Liadi joined the professional ranks with League One club FC Tucson, where he notched three goals and three assists in 15 appearances before moving to South Georgia for the 2021 campaign.
“Liadi is an exciting attacking player who has the tools to make an immediate impact on our team,” said Martin. “He scored nine goals last season and is a fantastic pressing forward. We are looking forward to adding his goal scoring and attacking threat to our roster ahead of the 2022 season.”
Guediri, meanwhile, started his professional career overseas with German club BW Freisdorf, where he played from 2016-17. He played for German team VfL Alfter in 2017 before returning to the States in 2018 to play for former USL League Two club Sima Águilas in Montverde. Guediri spent the 2019 season with USL League One club Greenville Triumph, making 17 appearances before signing with Fort Lauderdale CF the following year. In the 2020 season, Guediri played all 16 matches and recorded two assists before signing with Major League Soccer’s Inter Miami CF last April. The 24-year-old he made 10 appearances and recorded one assist in the top flight, while also making a pair of appearances on loan for Fort Lauderdale.
“Guediri will add some important professional experience to our team for the 2022 season,” said Martin. “He has proven himself at a variety of professional levels during his career. He’s a talented and gifted defender and we’re hoping he can provide leadership to our younger players on the roster.”
