Real Salt Lake Defender Justen Glad Excited For 2021 Season, Hopeful For New Leadership Role

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Justen Glad has inked a new four-year extension that will keep the young American center-back in Utah until at least the 2024 season.

Glad, 23, has been with the Claret and Cobalt since 2012 when he joined the RSL Academy in Arizona. He has since climbed the ranks of the organization and, despite his youthful age, has already appeared in 126 first-team games.

Glad’s role within the team has grown. He has witnessed the best of times and has also experienced some of the club’s most recent lows. However, the future for Glad and the club remains bright.

“Some of my goals for this year would be to score more goals,” Glad said. “I had one goal last season which was nice to get that taste again after not scoring for a while. And then you know, just being consistent, that constant staple at the back that you know what you’re going to get out of him.”

"I have a unique experience, this club has brought me in and been my home. I have seen the highs and I think we can get it back there. I am excited about the opportunity to bring #RSL back to the top."
– Justen Glad as he looks ahead to the 2021 season.

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) January 4, 2021

New Leader, Same Glad

Glad enters the 2021 season with the hope that the club can return to its winning ways. He also understands that his role within the team will grow following the departures of Kyle Beckerman, Nedum Onuoha among others.

“I had conversations with Elliot (Fall), Tony (Beltran) and Freddy (Juarez) about taking that next step,” Glad mentioned. “It is about being more vocal, it is about expressing myself more. I like to go to work and work hard and lead by example.”

We're Glad 😏 you're sticking around, Justen.

— Real Salt Lake (@realsaltlake) January 4, 2021

A European Future

For many years now the narrative that Glad will one day play his soccer in Europe has followed him. With this new extension with RSL and Glad being 23 years old, if he were to pursue a childhood dream and play his soccer in Europe, it would likely happen sooner rather than later.

“It is for sure on my mind,” Glad said in relation to his dreams of one day playing in Europe. “If anything comes up then it is always an option, but at the moment I am just focused on working hard, continuing to do well and perform and whatever happens happens. I just try and focus on what I can do.”