Rayshaun McGann second Union prospect to join Atlanta United’s academy

Defender Rayshaun McGann is the second Philadelphia Union prospect to join Atlanta United’s youth academy ahead of the MLS expansion team’s second season in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy.

Philadelphia Union Academy officials confirmed on Friday that McGann was no longer in the organization but did not provide any details of his departure.

McGann joins former Union teammate Chad Letts on Atlanta’s U19 team. While Letts was included in a roster announcement back in August, McGann was only just recently added to the roster.

He joined the Union Academy ahead of the 2015-16 season from Boca United and has been a steady presence on the back line both as a central defender and left back for the U14, U16 and U18 teams. The 17-year-old Florida native is known for his strong positional awareness, vision and high soccer IQ.

A U.S. youth international, McGann was named the top prospect in the Union organization as recently as March by Will Parchman for an article on MLSSoccer.com and has received a number of call-ups to John Hackworth’s United States U17 team.

But his return to the Union for his senior year in high school seemed in doubt after he was spotted playing as a guest player for California club Strikers FC in a tournament in Northern Ireland in July.

Atlanta United’s U19 team opens its second season in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy Saturday against Carolina Rapids in North Carolina. The team’s roster includes Atlanta United homegrowns Andrew Carleton, George Bello and several other players who were part of the U16 team that won the Development Academy championship over the summer.