FC Cincinnati have signed defender Tyler Blackett to an MLS contract through June 2022 with additional options to extend through the 2023 season, pending receipt of P-1 visa and ITC, the club announced today. Blackett has been added to FC Cincinnati’s roster and is available for selection for the remainder of the 2021 MLS regular season.

The English International has made over 150 professional appearances in Europe’s top leagues, including the Premier League, EFL Championship and Scottish Premiership. Blackett most recently played for Nottingham Forest in the Championship, making 14 appearances in the 2020-21 season for the Reds as the side narrowly missed the promotion playoffs.

“We are delighted to have signed Tyler Blackett to our squad,” General Manager Gerard Nijkamp said. “A player of his caliber is a welcome addition to our 2021 roster. His experience at the top levels of professional soccer shows his quality and what he can bring to FC Cincinnati.”

Prior to making his move to Forest, Blackett played four seasons with Reading FC, appearing in 110 matches for the club and providing eight assists from defensive positions. At Reading, Blackett played under then-manager Jaap Stam. Blackett arrived on a nearly $2 million transfer fee just two months after Stam arrived.

The Manchester, England native first became connected to his hometown club of Manchester United in 2002 at the age of eight, where he worked his way up through the youth system for the Red Devils up to signing a professional contract with the club on May 7, 2012. He made 11 Premier League appearances with the Manchester United senior team in the 2014-15 campaign and spent additional time on loan with Blackpool and Birmingham City in the EFL Championship. He also played a spell on loan at Celtic FC in Scotland, where his squad won the Scottish Premiership in 2015-16.

At the youth international level, he represented England nine times from the U16 side up to his most recent appearance on September 9, 2014 with the English U21 team under manager Gareth Southgate.

FC Cincinnati will return to the pitch Saturday when they play host to Orlando City SC at TQL Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET, and the game will be televised on WSTR 64, carried on the radio on ESPN1350, streamed regionally on fccincinnati.com/stream, and out of market on ESPN+.

For up-to-the-minute information about FC Cincinnati, visit the team’s official website at fccincinnati.com, or follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook at @FCCincinnati. Additionally, fans are encouraged to download the team’s official mobile app on the Apple App Store or Google Play for instant access to mobile tickets, team content and match notifications.

Information about seating options at the club’s state-of-the-art TQL Stadium is now available at TQLstadium.com. For more information about 2021 Season Ticket Memberships, which are now on sale to the general public, visit TQLstadium.com or the stadium’s social properties on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram at @TQLStadium, or by calling the team’s sales and service staff at 513-977-5425.

TRANSACTION: FC Cincinnati signed defender Tyler Blackett on August 5, 2021.

3 TYLER BLACKETT

Position: Defender

Height: 6’ 2”

Weight: 167 lbs

Birthdate: April 4, 1994 (27)

Birthplace: Manchester, England

Hometown: Manchester, England

Nationality: English

How Acquired: Via signing on August 5, 2021