New York Red Bulls sign rising star Omar Valencia in a bold move for the future | OneFootball

The New York Red Bulls signed left-back Omar Valencia from New York Red Bulls II, the club's MLS NEXT Pro affiliate. At the age of 20 years old, the Panamanian talent that has drawn attention for steady growth signed a contract through 2027, with an option for 2028.

Promoting young talent to the first team is nothing new, but Valencia's case carries particular qualities that make this bet even more interesting. The player combines international experience with rapid technical development and a promising base in MLS's transition league.

An inspiring rise

Omar Valencia is not a common young player promoted to the first team. The Panamanian left-back built himself a solid path, showing steady improvement season after season. Since joining New York Red Bulls II, Valencia has made 37 appearances, starting 35 of those. Having recorded four assists, he was one of the bright spots in MLS NEXT Pro due to his defensive discipline and ability to support the attack efficiently.

He made his MLS NEXT Pro debut in March 2023, in a 1-1 draw against Columbus Crew 2, before registering his first professional assist in a 3-2 win over FC Cincinnati 2. The more games that passed, the better Valencia got, as he kept getting called up to the senior team and finally made his MLS debut in June 2024 against the New England Revolution.

It did not happen by coincidence. Since he was a very promising player, Valencia combined a lot of tactical maturity with excellent game reading and physical commitment, at a very young age. In this case, the Red Bulls' gamble Omar Valencia's contract runs until 2027 with an option for 2028; this shows just how confident management and coaching have been about his development. Julian de Guzman, Red Bulls sporting director had stated:

"Omar has shown tremendous development over the last two seasons with New York Red Bulls II, and we’re excited to help him continue that growth.”

Beyond his consistent performance in the United States, Omar Valencia already carries valuable experience with the Panama national team. He made his senior debut in 2022 in a friendly against Uruguay and has earned important call-ups since. His participation in the 2024 Copa América marked a milestone when he came on as a substitute against Colombia. At this point, Valencia became the first active MLS NEXT Pro player to feature in a Copa América, which underlined his potential and the trust of the coaching staff of Panama.

Besides that, Valencia also played in the youth teams of Panama; he made four appearances in the 2022 CONCACAF U-20 Championship. Most recently, in September, he played friendlies with the Panama U-23 team against Mexico.

This combination of international experience and steady development in MLS NEXT Pro places Omar Valencia in a different category. Young players with international exposure tend to show greater maturity and readiness to face big challenges. Valencia seems ready for this new stage.