Charlotte transferring D Adilson Malanda to Middlesbrough

Field Level Media|published: 08/20/2025, 12:17pm EDT

Aug 16, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Real Salt Lake midfielder Noel Caliskan (92) and Charlotte FC defender Adilson Malanda (29) fight for the ball in the second half at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Charlotte FC announced the transfer of defender Adilson Malanda to English second-tier side Middlesbrough FC on Wednesday.

The 23-year-old French center back will stay on loan at Charlotte for the remainder of the MLS season before departing for a reported $8 million fee plus add-ons.

"Adilson has been a true professional since stepping foot in Charlotte and throughout this process where we worked together to get a deal that worked for both the club and the player," general manager Zoran Krneta said.

"There were multiple top clubs that sent us strong offers for Adi, but in the end, this option allowed us to keep him through the end of the season as we push for the top four. His career path shows that Charlotte FC is the right place for young players to come and develop into sought-after players from clubs all around the world."

Malanda has recorded two goals and two assists in 107 appearances across all competitions since joining Charlotte from Ligue 2 side Rodez AF in August 2022.

--Field Level Media