Charlotte FC sign midfielder Baye Coulibaly | OneFootball

By MLSsoccer staff

TRANSFER TRACKER STATUS: Signing

Charlotte FC have signed midfielder Baye Coulibaly from MLS NEXT Pro affiliate Crown Legacy FC, the club announced Wednesday.

The 19-year-old Mali youth international is under contract through 2028 with an option for 2029. He will occupy U22 Initiative and international roster spots.

“Baye is an exciting young talent that has impressed us with his strong performances in preseason and throughout the MLS NEXT Pro season,” said Charlotte general manager Zoran Krneta.

“Baye will be a fantastic addition that strengthens our midfield through the final stretch of the 2025 season and beyond. The club is proud to develop and integrate another talented prospect through Crown Legacy and our Pro Player Pathway. We are excited to follow his continued development here.”

Coulibaly joined Crown Legacy in December 2024 from Croatian side NK Kustosija, and has since featured in 20 MLS NEXT Pro matches, ranking second on the team in minutes played (1,646). He featured at the 2023 U-17 World Cup as Mali finished third overall.

Coulibaly and Nikola Petkovic are both U22 midfielders for Charlotte. Forwards Idan Toklomati and Kerwin Vargas also have that roster designation.

Charlotte are fighting for home-field advantage in the Audi 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs. They're currently third in the Eastern Conference table (16W-11L-2D; 47 points).

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