Atlanta United today announced it has signed second round draft pick Oliver Shannon, pending the receipt of his International Transfer Certificate (ITC) and P-1 Visa. The 22-year-old midfielder was a four-year starter at Clemson and was selected with the No. 36 overall pick in the 2018 MLS SuperDraft. All four of Atlanta’s SuperDraft picks are now signed, as Jon Gallagher and Gordon Wild signed with MLS prior to the draft and fourth round pick Paul Christensen signed with Atlanta United 2 on Sunday.
“Since joining our team for preseason, Ollie has proven to be a good fit for our style of play and he’s earned his place on our roster,” Vice President and Technical Director Carlos Bocanegra said. “He’s a player we scouted in-depth for a long time and quickly learned that his physical makeup and player profile would fit in well with our club philosophy.”
A native of Liverpool, England, Shannon started 74 of his 82 appearances at Clemson. He contributed a total of 13 goals and 17 assists during his college career and helped the Tigers reach the final of the 2015 College Cup. He also spent 13 years at the Everton Youth Academy and was a member of the side that won the 2013-14 Youth Premier League. While at Clemson, Shannon was a two-time co-captain, a 2017 First-Team All-ACC selection, a 2016 Second-Team All-ACC selection, and was twice named to the ACC’s All-Academic Team.
Atlanta United continues its preseason tonight against Minnesota United with kickoff from MUSC Health Stadium scheduled for 7:30 p.m. The club wraps up play in the Carolina Challenge Cup on Saturday, Feb. 24 against the hosts Charleston Battery.
PLAYER PROFILE
Name: Oliver Shannon
Position: Midfielder
Height: 6-0
Weight: 170
Birthdate: Sept. 12, 1995 (Age 22)
Birthplace: Liverpool, England
Nationality: England
Previous club: Clemson University
Acquired: Atlanta United selected Oliver Shannon with the No. 36 overall pick in the 2018 MLS SuperDraft. Signed with Atlanta on Feb. 21, 2018.
