Noah Powder signs with New York Red Bulls II

New York Red Bulls II have announced the signing of 18-year-old Noah Powder. Per the team's official statement, the player will be available for NYRB II's next game in USL - against Charlotte Independence on July 15.

Powder is a product of the RBNY Academy and made regular appearances for the II team in 2016 as an amateur. He was among the higher-rated players emerging from his Academy class, but it was unclear whether he planned to turn pro with the Red Bulls.

He has featured regularly for Trinidad and Tobago youth international teams over the past couple of seasons. Back in January, a call-up to the T&T U-20 squad suggested he might be looking at options in Europe: the TTFA listed Powder as attached to Paris Saint-Germain, inadvertently confirming rumors that the young talent was exploring pro opportunities away from RBNY.

By this summer, however, whispers connecting Powder to other clubs had subsided and he was spotted back in training with the Red Bulls. Clearly, he reached the necessary agreement with RBNY to turn pro with his local MLS team.

Powder has typically been deployed as a full back with NYRB II, though he has the tools to be effective in the final third and has featured in more attacking roles for Trinidad and Tobago.

He joins a II team that is struggling to match the achievements of last year's title-winning USL squad. Powder was a regular and productive part of the 2016 team, and finds himself in the curious position of being simultaneously a rookie pro and an experienced signing for the lackluster Red Bulls in USL.