Red Bulls sign midfielder Matthew Mbuta
New York waives forward Chris Meglaoudis to make room for Mbuta on roster
"Matthew has impressed us over the past few weeks and we think he will help add pace and depth to our midfield," said Sporting Director Jeff Agoos. "We also want to thank Chris for his hard work and dedication to the club and wish him the best in the future."
Mbuta appeared in 17 games for Crystal Palace Baltimore, tallying two goals and two assists while helping the club to the USL-2 semifinals. In 2006, Mbuta was named to the USL-2 All-League First Team, playing in 16 games and scoring five goals and seven assists.
Prior to coming to the United States, Mbuta, 22, played for Duli Pengiran Muda Mahkota FC of the Malaysian Super League, where he scored three goals in eight matches. From 2004-06, the former Cameroonian Under-23 midfielder played for PWD de Bamenda of the Cameroonian First Division, helping PWD qualify for the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Cup. PWD adanced to the tournament's quarterfinals and Mbuta scored five goals. Mbuta has also enjoyed trials at Arsenal FC and West Ham United of the English Premier League in 2006.
Megaloudis made one regular season appearance for the Red Bulls on June 18. The Puerto Rican international was signed by New York on April 4, 2008 and he made six starts for the Red Bulls Reserves, scoring one goal.
For tickets for Red Bulls home games, please call the Red Bulls at 1.877.RBSOCCER or log onto New York Red Bulls Ticket Center. The Red Bulls' next match is on Thursday, Sept. 18 when they take on the Columbus Crew at Crew Stadium at 7 PM ET (TV: ESPN2, Radio: WADO 1280 AM).
#14 Matthew Mbuta
Position: Midfielder
Height: 5-9
Weight: 152 lbs
Day of Birth: Dec. 21, 1985
Hometown: Yaounde, Cameroon
Last Club: Crystal Palace Baltimore (USL-2)
How Acquired: Signed by New York on September 16, 2008
Status: Developmental/International
