Red Bull New York have reloaded their defenders with the acquisition of Canadian international Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty from CF Montreal in exchange for winger Wiki Carmona. The move comes after departures of Sean Nealis and Noah Eile as the team looks to restructure their defense ahead of the 2026 season.
“He is an exciting young player that brings a strong mentality and a willingness to work,” said Head of Sport Julian de Guzman. “We believe this is a great spot for him to continue developing and take the next steps in his career.”
Marshall-Rutty has spent the last few seasons bouncing around MLS Canadian clubs. First as a member of Toronto FC II and eventually moving up to the first team in 2020, the Ontario-born defender developed into an important player, with his biggest contributions coming in 2024 and 2025 where he made 31 appearances between Toronto, Montreal and finally Charlotte FC.
The move to Harrison comes at a time of need for Red Bull as new head coach Michael Bradley begins to piece together the team that can deliver his new strategy. We’ve seen a significant portion of last year’s team depart in favor of a profile that has more skills with the ball at their feet than in years past. Players such as Cade Cowell, Jorge Ruvalcaba, Ethan Horvath and Robert Voloder will represent the new administration as they look to return to the team to their previous stature within the league.
photo from Red Bul New York