MLS Draft 2020: D.C. United select Temple GK Simon Lefebvre
Courtesy of Major League Soccer
United traded up to nab the towering French goalkeeper
D.C. United used the 21st overall pick in the 2020 MLS SuperDraft to select Temple Owls goalkeeper Simon Lefebvre. Lefebvre, a native of France, developed in the Girondins Bordeaux academy before coming to the U.S. to spent 2018 and 2019 attending Temple. The 6’9” goalkeeper also spent some time training with the Philadelphia Union’s USL Championship affiliate last season.
United didn’t enter the day with a first round pick, but less than an hour before the SuperDraft they began they announced a trade with the Philadelphia Union. To acquire the no. 21 pick, they swapped spots in MLS’s allocation order dropping to 21st there while giving the Union their no. 17 spot. There is also an unspecified clause that would send $50,000 in General Allocation Money (GAM) in 2021 to Philadelphia if Lefebvre meets certain performance benchmarks.
Lefebvre, a native of Ossun, France, spent six years in Bordeaux’s academy. Per Transfermarkt, he had a couple of loan stints in the lower divisions of English soccer and spent some time with FC Lourdes in France before spending two years at Temple. Lefebvre made 35 appearances with the Owls, where he has developed a reputation as one of the better goalkeepers with the ball at his feet in college soccer:
Temple goalkeeper Simon Lefebvre goes to #DCU at 21st overall. Towering 6-foot-9 prospect with good feet. Kind of funny that the best passing goalkeeper goes to a team notorious for not asking much from its goalkeepers passing wise. Ben Olsen ready to channel Pep? #IKid
— Ives Galarcep (@SoccerByIves) January 9, 2020
In all likelihood, Lefebvre will be looking to win a place with Loudoun United at the USL level. With Bill Hamid, Chris Seitz, and Earl Edwards Jr. all on D.C.’s roster (and all three recently either permanently transferred to the club or signed to new contracts), the path to eventually starting in MLS here is difficult. However, Loudoun’s current goalkeeping depth chart consists of just one player: Colin Miller, who was not the starter for Ryan Martin’s group last year. If Lefebvre impresses in the preseason, there’s reason to believe he could compete for time at Segra Field.