Former Goalkeeper of the Year finalist joins CLTFC in exchange for $750,000 GAM
CHARLOTTE (Tuesday, August 19, 2025) – Charlotte FC today announced the Club acquired goalkeeper Drake Callender from Inter Miami CF in exchange for $750,000 in General Allocation Money, $400,000 in 2025 and $350,000 in 2026. Miami could receive $75,000 in conditional GAM and will retain a sell-on percentage in the event of a future permanent trade or transfer.
“Drake joins our squad with three-plus years of MLS experience and is entering a great stage for goalkeeper development,” said General Manager Zoran Krneta. “His MLS experience and recent national team call-ups make him a key piece to help strengthen our goalkeeping core as we continue to build the strongest squad possible for the run-in, but also an eye towards the future.”
Callender, 27, was a full-time starter for Inter Miami from 2022-24, playing 118 matches while keeping 19 clean sheets across all competitions. He kicked off his MLS campaign with a 2022 MLS Goalkeeper of the Year Finalist season, tallying four clean sheets and allowing just 37 goals. Callender provided essential saves at key moments throughout the 2022 campaign, notably making his mark in the final stretch of the regular season with match-winning saves in the late stages of matches against Columbus Crew and D.C. United, followed by a clean sheet against Toronto FC.
In 2023, Callender tallied career-bests clean sheets (7) and saves (123) in 33 matches. During the 2023 season, Inter Miami won the first edition of Leagues Cup after a penalty kick shootout, in which he scored a penalty and saved two. With this performance, Callender was awarded the best goalkeeper of the 2023 Leagues Cup and won Man of the Match. He later helped lead Miami to a Supporters’ Shield title in 2024 with five clean sheets, 104 saves, and a career-best 1.41 goals against average.
Callender was named to the United States Men’s National team roster in 2023 and 2024 for the Concacaf Nations Leagues Semifinals and Final match.
The former San Jose Earthquakes homegrown had his homegrown rights traded to Inter Miami ahead of the 2020 MLS SuperDraft. The Sacramento native completed four NCAA seasons at Cal, where he kept 16 clean sheets in 54 games and earned various all-region and All-Pac-12 honors.
TRANSACTION: Charlotte FC today announced the Club acquired goalkeeper Drake Callender in exchange for $750,000 General Allocation Money.
Name: Drake Callender
Position: Goalkeeper
Height: 6’3”
Date of Birth: October 7, 1997
Age: 27
Birthplace: Sacramento, California
Last Club: Inter Miami C.F.
How Acquired: Trade
