The Red Bulls have signed defender Hassan Ndam to an MLS contract, the club announced Saturday.

Ndam, 23, spent the 2017 and 2018 seasons on an MLS contract with the Red Bulls. During that stint, he appeared in four matches with the first team and made 58 appearances with Red Bulls II.

On July 14, he signed with Red Bulls II and appeared in five matches and logged 435 minutes. During the club’s match on August 12, Ndam became the all-time minutes leader by a defender in Red Bulls II history.

“We are happy to bring Hassan back into the first team,” Red Bulls sporting director Denis Hamlett said in a statement. “His familiarity with the club and our system will allow him to step in and help the team as the season continues.”

Following the 2018 season, the 6-4, 185-lb. Ndam was selected by FC Cincinnati in the MLS expansion draft. He made five appearances while on loan to the Charlotte Independence in 2019 and logged 14 matches on loan to Miami FC during the 2020 season.

“We are excited to have Hassan join the group,” Red Bulls head coach Gerhard Struber said in a statement. “We were happy with what he has done with Red Bulls II and are excited to see what he can bring to the team.”

The Red Bulls host the Philadelphia Union on Saturday night.

 

Front Row Soccer editor Michael Lewis has covered 13 World Cups (eight men, five women), seven Olympics and 25 MLS Cups. He has written about New York City FC, New York Cosmos, the New York Red Bulls and both U.S. national teams for Newsday and has penned a soccer history column for the Guardian.com. Lewis, who has been honored by the Press Club of Long Island and National Soccer Coaches Association of America, is the former editor of BigAppleSoccer.com. He has written seven books about the beautiful game and has published ALIVE AND KICKING The incredible but true story of the Rochester Lancers. It is available at Amazon.com.