Alexis Quezada

Alexis Quezada, formerly a member of the Chicago Fire Academy, is headed to Ecuador. The 16-year-old recently signed a youth contract with Deportivo Cuenca, a top-flight club in Ecuador.

There was competing interest in signing the teenager after he had a successful tryout in Mexico in 2013.

“I was on trial with Toluca CF from Mexico in July,” Quezada told TopDrawerSoccer.com. “Out of 200 players that went to the tryout for Toluca, I was selected with three others, but I did not stay due to passport problems.”

Quezada, a center midfielder by trade, said the club told him to come back in 2014 and offered him the chance to rejoin the club. Instead, he elected for Deportivo Cuenca, which he cited as having a great infrastructure for developing players.

“They have a great, strong youth system,” he said. “The U18 team made it to the final last year and unfortunately lost.”

Quezada was born in Chicago and started playing for the Chicago Fire when he was 10 years old. His father was born in Ecuador and his mother’s parents were born in Mexico, thus giving him the opportunity to represent the U.S., Ecuador, or Mexico at the international level. He has yet to play for any youth national team.

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Sporting KC Academy mid signs pro deal

David Leichty bypassed the traditional route of youth soccer players in the U.S. and is trailblazing one of his own. The midfielder from Sporting Kansas City’s academy signed a professional contract with the club’s USL Pro-affiliate OKC Energy FC on Monday, Sporting KC announced.

Energy is in its inaugural season with former Sporting KC goalkeeper Jimmy Nielsen leading the duties as the head coach of the club.

Leichty was the Academy Player of the Year for Sporting KC in 2013 and has featured in every Development Academy U18 game this season. He joins fellow Sporting KC Academy alum Kyle Miller on the Energy roster.

Energy begins USL PRO play on April 5.

U.S. U17 MNT midfield with a trial in the Netherlands

Wan Kuzain, a member of St. Louis Scott Gallagher, tweeted on Tuesday that he is headed to the Netherlands in the coming weeks for a trial with Feyenoord. Kuzain is a midfielder with flair that likes to dribble at opponents. He had a brief stint with the U17 Men’s National Team Residency Program in late 2013.

A Feyenoord spokesman told Goal.com that Kuzain’s team would be heading to Netherlands and the club was using the opportunity to take a closer look at the 15-year-old American.

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