STATESBORO, Ga. – December 9, 2024 – South Georgia Tormenta FC’s 22-year-old midfielder Jackson Khoury has signed with the Tacoma Defiance of MLS NEXT Pro, part of the Seattle Sounders FC organization. The financial terms of the transfer between the clubs were not disclosed.
Khoury’s move represents another milestone for Tormenta FC in developing young professional players.
“In this young man, the Sounders organization have acquired a tireless worker who engages fully in the process of self-development,” South Georgia Tormenta FC’s Head Coach Ian Cameron said. “The Sounders game model will suit Jackson’s skill set, and we anticipate he will adapt to the new environment very quickly. We’re proud as an organization to trade once again with the teams like Seattle for the talents our club produces as we continue to help provide young men and women of high character and competency opportunities to turn professional and then spread their wings to the highest level possible.”
The Sydney, Australia native joins Tacoma after spending the last two seasons with South Georgia Tormenta FC, where he won the USL League One Young Player of the Year award in 2023, making 33 appearances with 25 starts, tallying seven goals and six assists. In 2024, Khoury made 32 appearances and earned 18 starts.
The Lebanon international began his career with Sydney United 58 FC in 2020, appearing in five matches for the Australian side and scoring three goals in route to the New South Wales National Premiere League Championship title. He then played one more season with Sydney, making 17 appearances with eight starts, and netted one goal and provided one assist before moving to professional side South Georgia Tormenta FC.
On the international stage, Khoury has made one appearance for Lebanon in an AFC World Cup Qualifier match against Australia on March 26, 2024.
“We knew from the moment we recruited Jackson to our club that he has a competency and skill set that gives him a high ceiling in professional soccer,” South Georgia President and Co-Owner Darin Van Tassell said. “Our club and community will miss Jackson, and we all are eager to watch his continued success. Developing players remains one of our important pathways on which we built this club.”
Khoury’s move highlights an emerging pattern across South Georgia Tormenta FC’s men’s, women’s and youth teams. The nearly decade-old club has played a key role in the development of players such as Newcastle United WFC’s Amy Andrews, St. Louis CITY SC’s Indiana Vassilev, Brooklyn FC’s Sydney Martinez, D.C. United’s Conner Antley, and New Mexico United’s Marco Micaletto, among several others.
Founded in 2015, Tormenta FC is a professional soccer club based in Statesboro, Georgia. Tormenta FC competes in the professional USL League One and the pre-professional USL W League, under the United Soccer League (USL) and has also established a thriving academy system throughout South Georgia and the Lowcountry of South Carolina.
Follow the club through Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly known as Twitter), and the Tormenta FC app, which is available on both iOS and Android.
For media inquiries, please contact Talique Cobb at tcobb@tormentafc.com or Tom Valcke at tvalcke@tormentafc.com
