July 19, 2024 – Major League Soccer (MLS)
Real Salt Lake News Release
HERRIMAN, Utah – Real Salt Lake added attacking depth to its roster with today’s signing of FW Benjamin Stanley “Benji” Michel, the former U.S. Youth International and Orlando City winger who now returns stateside after two years with Arouca in Portugal. RSL acquired Michel’s MLS Right of First Refusal from Orlando City SC in exchange for the better 2025 Second-Round MLS SuperDraft selection and $50,000 in 2026 General Allocation Money (GAM), if certain performance-based metrics are achieved. RSL has guaranteed Michel through the end of the ongoing 2024 season, with Club options for both 2025 and 2026.
“First off I would like to give my thanks to God for answering my prayers,” said Michel following Thursday’s RSL training session in Colorado, where the 26-year-old attacker is preparing to be available for Saturday’s Rocky Mountain Cup decider. “It’s an honor to join such an amazing organization like RSL. The excitement and the projection this team is on right now just makes me want to give it my all for the crest. The culture within the group is just phenomenal.”
“Since day one when I arrived here, I felt the warm welcome and right at that moment I knew I was in the right place. Honestly it just feels good to be back in MLS. With all of the faces joining the league and especially the World Cup coming to U.S in 2026 the league will just get better. I can’t wait to meet all the fans and those groups who make up the RIOT. I promise to give this club my all when my name is called upon, whenever and wherever.”
Michel, who will wear jersey #28 for RSL this season, is a dual U.S.A-Haitian national, born October 23, 1997 in Orlando, Fla., and was originally signed into Major League Soccer as an Orlando homegrown ahead of the 2019 MLS season, becoming the club’s fifth homegrown player and the first to be born in Orlando and come up through its Development Academy. After scoring 25 goals with the academy side, “Benji” made his MLS and professional debut as a substitute on March 31, 2019, in a 2-1 defeat to D.C. United. On June 19, Michel scored his first professional goal in extra-time of Orlando’s 2-1 U.S. Open Cup win over New England, later scoring his first MLS goal on July 13, 2019, in a 1-0 victory over Columbus. Across all competitions, Michel scored 19 goals and added nine assists in 119 appearances for Orlando’s first team from 2019-22. Michel will always be remembered in Orlando for his…
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