Charlotte FC has confirmed the transfer of French defender Adilson Malanda to Middlesbrough F.C. for an undisclosed fee. As part of the agreement, Malanda will remain with Charlotte FC on loan through the end of the 2025 Major League Soccer (MLS) season before joining the English club.
“Adilson has been a true professional since stepping foot in Charlotte and throughout this process, where we worked together to get a deal that worked for both the Club and the player,” said General Manager Zoran Krneta. “There were multiple top clubs that sent us strong offers for Adi, but in the end, this option allowed for us to keep him through the end of the season as we push for the top four. His career path shows that Charlotte FC is the right place for young players to come and develop into sought-after players from clubs all around the world.”
Malanda, 23, has been a consistent presence in Charlotte’s defense since joining on August 4, 2022. In 2025, he is noted as being the only outfield player in MLS to have started all 27 matches and played every minute so far, contributing to nine clean sheets during this period. Over his time with Charlotte FC, Malanda has made 107 appearances and helped secure shutouts in 29 matches across all competitions.
Before arriving at Charlotte FC, Malanda played in Europe with Ligue 2 side Rodez AF and began his professional career at Nîmes Olympique, making his Ligue 1 debut against Dijon in December 2020.
Malanda became an integral part of Charlotte’s squad during the 2023 season by making 36 appearances across four competitions and registering an assist against Nashville SC on September 2. The following year saw him reach new personal records with career-highs in both appearances (32) and minutes played (2,880), while helping anchor one of MLS’s most effective defensive lines that recorded 13 clean sheets—the second-highest total in the league. He scored his first MLS goal in a season opener against NYCFC and made history as the first defender to score in back-to-back opening matches.
