San Diego FC has signed Northern Ireland international defender Paddy McNair as a free agent, sources tell GIVEMESPORT.

San Diego and the player are working on a loan until the winter, when the club opens preseason camp. San Diego will join MLS in the 2025 season.

McNair, 29, has 49 caps with Northern Ireland and was most recently with Middlesbrough in the Championship. A product of Manchester United’s academy, McNair is adept in both central defense and defensive midfield. He spent the majority of his career with Boro in the Championship after a move to Sunderland from United. He made 27 first team appearances for United.

San Diego is working on their inaugural roster, with four players signed to MLS contracts, highlighted by Mexican star Hirving “Chucky” Lozano. Lozano will remain with PSV until the winter. The club has also signed Danish duo Jeppe Tverskov and Marcus Ingvartsen from FC Nordsjaelland, key international additions to the squad. San Diego has also signed American goalkeeper Duran Ferree.

SDFC has common ownership with Nordsjaelland, as well as the Right to Dream academy.

San Diego had talks with legendary Spanish defender Sergio Ramos, but the sides were far apart on salary expectations. Manchester City superstar Kevin de Bruyne indicated he would be open to San Diego if he comes to MLS, but that was the extent on the conversations so far.

The club has not yet hired a head coach, but the roster is beginning to take shape. The typical cadence of an expansion roster build in MLS is to sign key international players the summer prior then add the core domestic signings in the winter following the MLS season ending.

With McNair joining Lozano, Tverskov and Ingvartsen, San Diego are off to a strong start.

 

San Diego FC announces jersey sponsor ahead of first Major League Soccer season

San Diego’s Major League Soccer expansion club has a crest, colors, a superstar to build around and a home stadium.

And while San Diego FC doesn’t have jerseys yet, the club provided a hint Thursday as to what they might look like.

DirecTV’s logo will appear on the front of the club’s first-ever jerseys, the club announced. In soccer, front-of-jersey sponsors are often the largest logos or wordmarks on any uniform.

El Segundo-based DirecTV is no stranger to sponsoring San Diego sporting events. The satellite and streaming service is also the title sponsor of the Holiday Bowl, which will share Snapdragon Stadium with the San Diego FC starting this winter.

San Diego FC will play its first MLS match in 2025. The club revealed its crest, featuring the words “San Diego” and a woven circle it calls “the flow,” in October; its official colors are chrome and azul, a deep navy blue.

“San Diego FC is honored to collaborate with DIRECTV, a company with deep California roots,” said San Diego FC CEO Tom Penn. “This historic sponsorship, which includes our first official jersey sponsor, highlights our commitment to bringing impassioned experiences to our fans and demonstrates our dedication to integrating with the San Diego community through a brand in our backyard that shares similar values and vision.”

DirecTV will also host events and sponsor various contests, watch parties and sweepstakes. The first: A chance to fly to The Netherlands to see Hirving “Chucky” Lozano, who San Diego FC signed earlier this summer to anchor the 2025 team.

Tryout dates set

San Diego FC will host open tryouts for its Right to Dream Academy on Aug. 7 and 8 at Chula Vista Elite Athlete Training Center.

The tryouts are open to boys born between 2010 and 2014. While tryouts are free, those interested are asked to register at SanDiegoFC.com/academy/tryouts. The club will also hold an Aug. 12 tryout at Estadio Romero Manzo in Tijuana.

Players must bring their own cleats, shin guards and other equipment to the tryouts.

Joaquin Escoto, the executive vice president of the Right to Dream Academy, called the tryouts “a significant step in our mission to connect with the community.”

“We look forward to welcoming the next generation of footballers and offer them the resources and support to achieve their dreams on and off the field,” he said.