By Billy McGee – @iambillymcgee
A player rarely goes from playing college soccer to being an immediate difference maker in MLS, but that is exactly what Real Salt Lake forward Sergi Solans has done.
Solans was drafted by RSL in the 2025 MLS SuperDraft with the 30th pick after scoring 14 goals and adding another three assists in the 2024 season at Oregon State. Instead of joining Real Salt Lake for the 2025 season, he opted to return to college and transfer to UCLA. For the Bruins, he totaled 22 goal contributions in 19 games, including three hat tricks against conference opponents Rutgers, Washington, and Michigan, and won the Big Ten championship.
Now officially a member of RSL, the 23-year-old Spaniard has been crucial for his club. Solans is their leading goalscorer on the season, finding the back of the net five times in six starts over eight appearances as the only player on the team with more than two goals. His best performance of the season so far came in a 4-2 win against San Diego FC, when he recorded a brace and assisted one of the team’s other two goals.
With RSL currently sitting in sixth place in the MLS Western Conference, Solans will be a big part of their success this season as they look to improve on their ninth-place finish in the 2025 season. His early success highlights how impactful SuperDraft picks can be for MLS teams and how SuperDraft picks returning to college after being selected can help their development in the right situation.
Solans will now take center stage on MLS Sunday Night Soccer as RSL hits the road to take on the LA Galaxy tomorrow night.
