MLS Club Charlotte FC is set to complete a deal for Fulham and USA veteran defender Tim Ream.
According to Givemesport, Charlotte FC is close to signing the 36-year-old, who reached the peak of his career with the Cottagers, playing for nine years for the club from Championship to the Premier League.
Before the 2024 Copa America, Charlotte FC had reportedly expressed interest in Ream, who boasts great experience, having played as a defender at top level for over two decades.
Tim began his career in the USA, playing for St Scott Louis Gallagher Academy before moving to Saint Louis Billikens for his soccer college career before breaking into senior club football with New York Red Bulls in 2010.
Reams made Greg Berhalter’s US 2024 Copa America squad and played in the team’s all three group matches in the competition. His imminent move to Charlotte FC will mark his second spell in Major League Soccer after his previous senior career spell with New York Red Bulls.
While details of the deal is yet to be disclosed, Ream has a year left on his Fulham contract and was certainly going to leave for free after next season. Hence, Fulham, who are focused on building a young squad for next season’s challenge have opted to cash in on the 36-year-old this summer.
Agreements on both personal and club terms have been reportedly reached with Ream set to sign a contract with Charlotte FC as the club’s new player this week.
Who is Tim Ream?
Tim Ream is an American professional football player who plays as a defender for the Premier League club, Fulham, and the United States senior national team. Tim Ream began his football career in 2003, playing for St. Louis Scott Gallagher Football Academy.
Tim Ream career
Tim Ream played with St Louis Scott Gallagher for two years before leaving in 2005. Away from the Missouri-based outfit, Reams joined Saint Louis Billikens for his college career. He made 82 appearances for the team, scoring six goals.
At Saint Louis Billikens, Reams would spend three years at the outfit before finally making his first club career appearance for Chicago Fire Premier in 2008.
He made 19 league appearances for the Illinois-based club before leaving after one season to New York Red Bulls in 2010. At New York Red Bulls, Reams recorded 58 MLS appearances, scoring one goal.
New York Red Bulls happened to be Ream’s last stop in the MLS before he took his career off the shores of American soccer, moving to England.
In England, he joined Bolton Wanderers and made 114 appearances in three seasons. After his three season stint with the English club, he joined Fulham in 2015, where his career peaked.
Career stats
Ream made 281 league appearances for Fulham, scoring 5 goals. He has tallied 502 club appearances since his breakout into a full professional soccer career. In all competitions, he made 65 appearances for New York Red Bulls, 123 for Bolton Wanderers, and 312 for Fulham.
International career and honours
Ream made his USA senior national team debut in 2010 and has been capped 61 times, scoring one goal. He won CONCACAF Nations League in 2020 and 2024.
Tim Ream contract
Ream has a year left on his Fulham contract but is set to take up a new challenge with Charlotte FC. Details of his new contract proposal from the MLS club has yet to be revealed at the time of this report.
