MLS side Charlotte FC is in advanced talks with Fulham and United States defender Tim Ream, sources have told ESPN.
A deal has not yet been reached, but talks between the two sides are ongoing to bring the 36-year-old to the U.S.
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Ream’s contract with Fulham expires in 2025, which will force Charlotte to pay an undisclosed transfer fee to the English team.
Ream first joined Fulham from Bolton Wanderers in 2015, making 312 appearances since his debut. The 2023-24 campaign, however, saw the defender forced into a limited role after a calf injury in December left him out of the starting 11 for an extended period of time. Overall, he recorded one goal in 18 matches across all competitions.
His time in Europe propelled Ream to become a key figure for the USMNT, earning 56 caps and starting all four games of the 2022 Qatar World Cup. He was called up in May for the team’s training camp ahead of the 2024 Copa América, as Gregg Berhalter’s side prepare for friendlies against Colombia on June 8 and Brazil on June 12 ahead of the summer tournament.
Charlotte would look to Ream to play an active role in the backline. Head coach Dean Smith has previously been vocal about needing a left-footed center-back, in part prompting the move for the Fulham defender to MLS.
Charlotte currently sits in fifth place of the Eastern Conference table with 25 points from 17 games, and a goal difference of zero after allowing 18 goals.
