21-year-old center back signed on loan before closing of summer transfer window
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – The New England Revolution acquired American center back Joshua Wynder (pronounced WINE-durr) on a year-long loan from Portuguese club SL Benfica through the end of the 2027 MLS Sprint Season. The deal was completed before the close of the MLS Secondary Transfer Window on Wednesday night. The Revolution acquired Wynder’s Discovery Priority from Nashville SC for $50,000 in 2026 GAM.
Wynder, a native of Louisville, Ky., began his club career with hometown side Louisville City SC of the USL Championship, initially joining the academy as an amateur before signing his first pro deal in June 2021. The 21-year-old defender has made 75 professional appearances with eight goals scored between the USL Championship and Liga Portugal 2, in addition to over 20 games played in the United States youth national team setup.
Wynder’s move to New England sees him reunite with Revolution Head Coach Marko Mitrović, his former coach with the U.S. Under-20 Men’s National Team during the latest FIFA U-20 World Cup. The young defender has played in the last two U-20 World Cups for the United States, totaling four starts in 2023 before starting all five matches at the 2025 tournament in Chile, where he paired with Revolution defender Ethan Kohler in central defense. The duo helped post 3-0 shutout wins over both France and Italy, advancing as far as the Quarterfinals. Revolution winger Peyton Miller, midfielder Brooklyn Raines, and forward Marcos Zambrano also played with Wynder and Kohler at the 2025 U-20 World Cup.
“We’re pleased to welcome another promising young player talent to help bolster our backline depth,” said Chris Tierney, Revolution General Manager and Chief Soccer Officer. “Joshua is one of the most promising young central defenders in the U.S. youth national team pool and he is someone Marko Mitrović and our coaching staff know well. We believe we have the right environment to help further Joshua’s development and help him continue to flourish.”
In June 2023, Wynder made the jump to Europe with a transfer to Portuguese powerhouse Benfica. He spent most of his time with Benfica B, logging six goals over 37 appearances in the Portuguese second division. Wynder made his debut for Benfica’s senior team in a Taça de Portugal semifinal match in April 2025. During the 2024-25 Liga Portugal 2 campaign, Wynder set personal bests with 31 games played and four goals.
In the USL Championship, the six-foot-two center back emerged from the Louisville City academy to debut for the senior team in 2021. He went on to accrue 45 total appearances, including four in U.S. Open Cup action. Wynder set a then-career high in 2022 with 27 appearances in all competitions, with two goals scored.
The Revolution are back in action on the west coast this Saturday night, Sept. 5 at 9:30 p.m. ET against the LA Galaxy. Watch the contest on Apple TV or listen to the Revolution’s radio calls on 98.5 The Sports Hub and 1260 AM Nossa Radio USA.
TRANSACTION: New England Revolution acquire center back Joshua Wynder on a year-long loan from SL Benfica through the 2027 MLS Sprint Season on Sept. 2, 2026. The Revolution acquired Wynder’s Discovery Priority from Nashville SC for $50,000 in 2026 GAM.
