Vassell finds new club

After more than a year without a club, national midfielder Peter-Lee Vassell has finally found a home with United Soccer League (USL) championship club Indy Eleven.

The club announced the signing of the former Harbour View player yesterday, pending the receipt of his visa ahead of the season opener this weekend. Per club policy, the terms of the contract were not disclosed. Vassell has been without a club since January 2020 when he was released by Major League Soccer outfit Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC). He was drafted by the club in the second round of the 2019 MLS draft but would only go on to make six league appearances that year in his brief stint with the club.

Ready to help

Vassell said that national teammate and former Indy player Dane Kelly spoke to him regularly about the club and he is ready to help improve the fortunes of a team that failed to make the playoffs last year.

"I used to play with Kelly so we used to talk a lot and he was telling me Indy Eleven is a great club. I'm ready for this season and, hopefully, we don't dwell on last season," Vassell said on the club's website. "The guys coming in, we are prepared to go to the playoffs and hope for the best. We have great players and a great coaching staff heading into the season."

Vassell is not new to the USL as he was loaned to Phoenix Rising FC from LAFC in August 2019 but only made six appearances for the club during his half-season spell. After his release from LAFC in 2020, he trained with a second division club in Denmark but no deal was made to sign him.

Indy Eleven head coach Martin Renne completed the skills of the 23-year-old and believes that he has the ability to develop and become a key component to their attack this year.

"Peter-Lee Vassell is a highly talented player who has already played a lot of games and scored a lot of goals for his national team at a relatively young age," Renne said on the club's website. "Peter Lee has a ton of potential and we feel he can develop a lot with us and become a force in our midfield."

Should he receive his visa in time for his club's season opener on Saturday against the Birmingham Legion, he could make his debut facing national teammate Junior Flemmings who signed with the Legion in January for a one-year deal.