Charlotte Independence Boosts Roster Days Before Season Opener
Chaney and Ousmanou round out the pro roster heading into a matchup with Richmond
USL League One officially kicked off last Friday, but only six of the 14 clubs saw action over the first weekend. Charlotte Independence was not one of them.
With an extra week to finalize a roster, Charlotte took advantage, or lagged behind, depending on one’s point of view. Entering the week with an announced roster of just 13, including nine returnees and four newcomers, fans were anxious to see where the club would be to start the season.
Two announcements trickled in on Wednesday, starting with a season-long loan of defender Pele Ousmanou from Hartford Athletic. Per The Blazing Musket, the 20 year old Cameroonian signed a long-term contract with Hartford prior to the 2024 season, but struggled with injuries. He made a single appearances that season, the last match of the season.
Later on Wednesday, the Jacks made a splash with the announcement of league veteran striker Christian Chaney. The 30 year old spent the last two seasons with Forward Madison on a roster heavy with well-known strikers, including Juan Galindrez and Garrett McLaughlin. However, Chaney was out of contract at the end of the season, and the team opted to stick with Galindrez’s option year, while McLaughlin was already signed.
Chaney has 31 goals across 87 appearances in league competitions (regular season, Jägermeister Cup and playoffs). He has not scored fewer than 10 goals in each of his three seasons in the league.
Chaney also returns to Charlotte, having played for the club when it was in the USL Championship in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season.
Charlotte’s announced availability for Saturday also includes two academy players, midfielder Ivan Bonus and forward Matthew Arango. Bonus had nine bench appearances in 2024, but did not play any minutes, while Arango was with the team, but did not appear on roster.
This brings Charlotte to a roster of 17 entering its opening match, hosting the Richmond Kickers on Saturday.
Projected Lineup
We aren’t sure how long Chaney has been with the team. If he joined this week upon signing, he may not be match ready. Therefore, we project him as a bench option to start the season.
Bench: Romig, Ousmanou, Gray, Chaney, Bonus, Arango
Charlotte Independence hosts the Richmond Kickers at American Legion Memorial Stadium on Saturday, March 15th at 7:00 PM ET.