Philadelphia Union Academy defender Matthew Real has signed a professional contract with Bethlehem Steel FC.
The 17-year-old left back from Drexel Hill, Pa. previously committed to attend Wake Forest University this fall and is highly regarded by TopDrawerSoccer.com, which has him ranked 19th in the class of 2017 in its most recent Boys Academy IMG 150.
“Matthew proved last year that he can play at this level and is a guy that Jim Curtin and I have worked with since he was nine so it’s really cool seeing him showcase the process of the system we have in place,” Steel FC head coach Brendan Burke said in a news release.