CHARLOTTE, NC (Monday, January 10, 2022) – Charlotte FC today announced the Club has acquired Christian Makoun from Inter Miami CF in exchange for the No. 1 Allocation Ranking spot.
CLTFC will also receive Inter Miami’s No. 9 spot on the allocation list with Inter Miami retaining a percentage of a future transfer of Makoun.
The 21-year-old Venezuelan international holds his U.S. Green Card and will count as a domestic player on the Club’s inaugural 2022 roster.
“We’re very excited to welcome a player of Christian’s quality and potential to Charlotte FC and continue building the spine of our team. He started over 20 games in MLS last season which adds even more league experience to our backline," said Sporting Director Zoran Krneta. “It is difficult to find players like Christian who are left footed and possess all the qualities we are looking for in our central defenders. He is someone who can help us win now but is also a young player with a bright future at our Club.”
As a teenager, Makoun signed as Miami’s third-ever player ahead of their debut 2020 season. He then had a breakout season in 2021, playing in 26 games with 23 starts and two goals.
The center back has begun to break through with the Venezuelan national team and has been called up to the senior squad for multiple World Cup Qualifiers this cycle. Makoun has been named as a substitute in Venezuela’s last five CONMEBOL World Cup Qualifiers but has yet to make his senior debut.
As a 17-year-old, he played for the Venezuela U-20s with two appearances at the 2017 U-20 World Cup. Two years later, he captained the side for all nine games at the 2019 U-20 South American Championship.
Makoun’s youth development began in the Zamora FC academy in his native Venezuela. He made 34 total senior appearances for his boyhood club on either side of a 2018 loan to Italian giant Juventus, where he amassed experience across their youth teams.
The Allocation Order is the mechanism used to determine which MLS club has first-priority to acquire a player listed on the Allocation Ranking List. This list consists of select U.S. Men’s National Team Players, select youth U.S. National Team players, and former MLS players returning to the league after joining a non-MLS club for a transfer fee of $500,000 or more.
Expansion teams always receive the No. 1 Allocation Ranking, with the rest of the ranking set by reverse order of the previous season’s overall table. For the complete Allocation Ranking List and Allocation Order rules, click here.
Transaction: Charlotte FC acquires Christian Makoun from Inter Miami CF in exchange for the No. 1 Spot in the MLS Allocation Order
Name: Christian Makoun
Position: Defender
Height: 6’1”
Weight: 165 lbs
Date of Birth: March 5, 2000
Age: 21
Birthplace: Valencia, Venezuela
Last Club: Inter Miami CF
How Acquired: Trade with Inter Miami CF for No. 1 MLS Allocation Ranking; Charlotte also acquires No. 9 MLS Allocation Ranking spot.
