Player Profile: Collen Warner

In the aftermath of the Expansion Draft, we will be bringing profiles of the new players (the ones who have not been traded yet). Today, we take a look at American midfielder Collen Warner.

Collen Warner has faced a long journey in Major League Soccer. A standout player in college, the defensive midfielder has spent time with four other clubs during his time as a professional.

His youth career began in his hometown of Denver, Colorado. Warner then progressed to train with the Liverpool Youth Academy in 2002, but he elected to attend college in the United States over the English club.

Collen Warner had remarkable success playing for the University of Portland Pilots. In his first three seasons at the school he was named to an All-West Coast Conference team. In 2008, his junior season at the University, he led the team and the conference in assists, with eight. During his time as a college student Warner also played for both the Colorado Rapids U-23s and the Portland Timbers U-23s. He scored three goals in a combined twenty-four matches with the clubs.

Will Crew

Real Salt Lake selected Collen Warner with the 15th overall pick in the first round of the 2010 MLS SuperDraft. He debuted for the club in April, and made 37 appearances during his time in Utah.

Photo by George Frey/Getty Images

Warner was left unprotected in the 2011 Expansion Draft and was picked by the Montreal Impact. He made 55 appearances for the Impact, finding the net once. Warner was part of a midseason deal between Montreal and their Canadian rivals Toronto FC. He netted two goals and made forty-four appearances before being traded to the Houston Dynamo just before the 2016 season.

Photo by Francois Laplante/FreestylePhoto/Getty Images

Collen Warner found only moderate success in Houston, and played a couple of matches with their USL affiliate, the Rio Grande Valley FC Toros. His contract ran out after Houston’s disappointing season, and he was taken in the second round of the Expansion Draft by Minnesota United.

Warner is a free agent, meaning that he and United still must work out a contract. Once he is signed, he will likely join Mohammed Saeid in the central midfield of coach Adrian Heath’s expected 4-2-3-1.

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