By Ryan Makuch
AFC Ann Arbor is pleased to announce the signing of Louis Sala ahead of the 2022 league season. Sala will join collegiate teammate Lance McGrane with The Mighty Oak in Ann Arbor for this summer campaign.
The midfield man is coming off his senior season with the Michigan State Spartans in 2021-22. Sala played in 16 of MSU’s 17 games, logging a goal and three assists, a metric good for second on the side. As a junior, Sala would make 11 appearances, starting nine of them, and securing a goal and an assist. Sala spent two seasons with the Northern Illinois Huskies before his time at MSU, making 36 appearances as an underclassman with 16 starts.
New Men’s Head Coach Rod Asllani has high hopes for his newest roster member. “Louis is a versatile player that can play many positions across the front line,” he would say. “He’s a technical player and has a very good understanding of the game. I see him fit well with our style of play. In addition to that, he has good delivery of the ball and can be a threat on set pieces.”
Indeed, Sala himself agreed with the assessment that he is a versatile player, and he also expanded a bit more on his playing style, saying, “I’m a creative player who looks to help and lead anywhere I can.” With plenty of weapons in his arsenal and traits to bring to the pitch, it’s no surprise that Sala is hopeful for the upcoming summer season.
“I was really drawn to playing in a professional environment and have seen a lot of great players come through AA in the last few years,” Sala would say about what drew him to The Mighty Oak. With hopes to challenge for the league championship, Sala desires to be part of a side to help elevate his game as well as the club.
As the fourth man announced for the 2022 season, Sala happens to share connections with all three other players. Sala not only plays at MSU with McGrane but he, like Hemi Nasser and Shion Soga, hails from Michigan. A West Bloomfield native and a graduate of Orchard Lake St. Mary’s, Sala now has the opportunity to play in his home state at the highest of levels for collegiate and club ball.
“It’s really cool for me cause I feel like the state of Michigan is a really strong soccer state and having that validation and backing from the Michigan soccer community is excellent,” Sala would share with AFCAA.
We look forward to welcoming Louis Sala alongside the rest of the squad to Ann Arbor for the 2022 season and seeing him on the pitch for The Mighty Oak.
About AFC Ann Arbor
Association Football Club Ann Arbor (AFC Ann Arbor) was founded in 2014 and competes in USL2 (men’s) and USLW (women’s) national amateur leagues. We are a community-based club, focused on equity, justice, and anti-racism. We consider all of our stakeholders, including supporters, players, staff, and ownership to be part of the #AFCAAFamily. Come On You Mighty Oak!