Could Morrison Agyemang Become Charlotte FC’s Next Great Young Center Back?

We are officially two games into Charlotte FC’s 2026 MLS Campaign. At this point, one thing is certain: the departure of CB, Adilson Malanda, left a remarkable hole in both our backline and our locker room. The lackluster defensive start to the season has prompted fan-frustration surrounding the club’s lack of aggression in identifying Malanda’s replacement. But, as we will discuss in this piece, finding a 1:1 replacement for Adilson Malanda in the January transfer window was almost never going to happen. It is early in the season, and as such, we want to encourage our fans to avoid any form of panic; this new backline and team must grow comfortable playing with one another, and the club will be searching for answers every day. One potential answer to this problem is Morrison Agyemang.

Morrison Agyemang is a 21-year-old center half who transferred to Charlotte in July of 2025. Agyemang originally signed with Charlotte FC’s second-team, Crown Legacy FC, who has a long history of developing players for the first team. Prior to his transfer, the Ghanaian national was playing for Croatian club, HNK Šibenik. He made 35 total appearances for HNK and had become an integral piece of the squad’s backline. Crown Legacy FC General Manager mentioned that “he is a tall, physical defender with a full season of top-flight experience in Croatia that will translate seamlessly” (Charlotte FC). Prior to his time in Croatia, Agyemang launched his professional career with Cheetah FC in Ghana’s second-division.

Morrison Agyemang

Agyemang thoroughly impressed throughout preseason, earning a spot on the first-team heading into the 2026 MLS Season. This past weekend, the 21-year-old made his debut at LA Galaxy after a shaky start from the starting eleven. All things considered–stepping into a game down three goals–Morrison was impressive. He appeared largely confident and composed on the ball while also putting his physicality on display in multiple moments. Agyemang also showcased some impressive one versus one defending. He recorded a pass accuracy percentage of 100% in the second half while also winning his sole aerial duel; he did pick up a yellow card for one challenge, however. Now, it was only one half, and the first game jitters will always be present, but the performance brings hope to the eyes of some Charlotte FC fans who are fearful of the backline’s stability after Adilson Malanda’s departure.

It was never going to be easy to replace Adilson Malanda. With current MLS salary structure and contract restrictions, clubs are rarely incentivized to target defenders as Designated Players. Hypothetically, they utilize these designations on anyone that they would like, but given only three uncapped transfer fees and salaries, clubs often choose to prioritize highly marketable attacking players. The reality is that clubs prioritize commercial incentives and visibility on a global scale. Further, attacking players often have substantially higher re-sale potential, further incentivizing clubs to avoid targeting defenders on long-term, expensive salaries. This leads to many clubs relying on younger, cheaper “gambles,” as Charlotte FC GM Zoran Krneta says. One of those gambles, however, is promising young defender Morrison Agyemang. Charlotte FC manager, Zoran Krneta, acknowledges that Morrison Agyemang is someone who has the potential to fulfill a “Malanda-like” rise to stardom. Charlotte FC have yet to find a true replacement for superstar Adilson Malanda, but they may have already found his future successor in Morrison Agyemang.

Images: Charlotte FC