RSL adds World Cup-tested defender Luc de Fougerolles on loan from Fulham

SANDY — Real Salt Lake’s latest young addition comes with something most 20-year-olds don’t have: World Cup experience.

RSL announced Saturday it has acquired Canadian international center back Luc de Fougerolles on loan from Premier League club Fulham.

The loan runs through the end of the current MLS season, with an option to extend through Major League Soccer’s shortened 2027 sprint season. Fulham may recall the player at any point.

“This move came together very quickly,” de Fougerolles said late Friday after arriving in Utah. “The style of play, along with the aims and ambitions of Real Salt Lake as a whole, give me a lot of confidence that this would be the right move and will help me progress, while showcasing my abilities and most importantly, helping the team.”

His immediate objective is straightforward.

“For me, the aim is clearly to achieve the playoffs, then make a run in and who knows then what can happen,” de Fougerolles said.

RSL enters Saturday’s match against LAFC in 10th place with 28 points in a tightly contested Western Conference, just six points behind fourth place.

World Cup experience at 20

De Fougerolles arrives in Utah just two months after playing in all five of Canada’s matches during its deepest-ever run at a men’s World Cup.

He started all three group-stage matches and the round-of-16 loss to Morocco, while coming off the bench in Canada’s 1-0 win over South Africa in the round of 32.

FIFA highlighted de Fougerolles during Canada’s run as a contender for the tournament’s Young Player Award.

Born in London, de Fougerolles joined Fulham’s academy at 8 years old and progressed through the club’s youth system before making his senior debut in a Carabao Cup match against Ipswich Town in November 2023.

Eligible to represent Canada through his Montreal-born father, de Fougerolles made his senior international debut in March 2024 and has since earned 18 caps. He was named Canada Soccer’s Young Men’s Player of the Year in 2025.

De Fougerolles arrives with some familiarity with his new league.

“Obviously, being from Canada I know a lot about MLS and how competitive it is, and the quality of the players and teams in the league,” de Fougerolles said. “Especially on the heels of the World Cup, MLS is just getting bigger and bigger, so now I just can’t wait to get started and play in front of all the fans.”

From Fulham to Belgium and back

Fulham sent de Fougerolles to Belgian first-division club FCV Dender EH on loan for the 2025-26 season.

De Fougerolles made 30 appearances across all competitions for Dender, including 27 in the Belgian Pro League with 18 starts, 1,655 minutes and one assist.

He returned to Fulham this summer following the World Cup and played 67 minutes in a 3-0 Carabao Cup win over AFC Wimbledon on Aug. 27.

De Fougerolles remains firmly under Fulham’s control. He signed a four-year contract with the London club last summer that runs through 2029, and RSL’s loan does not include a reported purchase option.

The move has frustrated some Fulham supporters who had called for de Fougerolles to get a first-team opportunity even before his World Cup breakout, while others expressed surprise that his next step will come outside Europe.

For de Fougerolles, RSL provides another opportunity for regular senior minutes, but he said there was a specific reason for choosing Utah.

Pablo’s pitch helps seal the move

De Fougerolles said a conversation with RSL head coach Pablo Mastroeni convinced him Utah was the right place for the next step.

“In my call with the Club, I spoke to Pablo and really liked what he had to say,” de Fougerolles said. “That call was a big reason for this move, due to his ideas and the collective style of play, which will suit me very well. I feel like I can learn a lot from him and this group.”

Primarily a right-footed center back, de Fougerolles also has experience at right back after coming through Fulham’s academy in wider defensive positions before moving centrally.

He adds another option to an RSL defensive group that includes the injured Justen Glad, Juan José Arias, Philip Quinton, Kobi Henry and DeAndre Yedlin.

His arrival fits the philosophy RSL Chief Soccer Officer Kurt Schmid described following the close of the summer transfer window.

Rather than use the club-record fee received for Zavier Gozo’s move to Crystal Palace on one blockbuster replacement, RSL spread its summer business across younger players it believes can contribute now while continuing to develop, utilizing loan options where possible.

“We want to invest in, not just invest in big signings just to make a big announcement and everyone feels good on September 2nd, but invest in the right pieces to help not only us win games, but continue to develop players and keep the cycle sort of going,” Schmid told KSL Sports on Thursday.

The approach also allows RSL to remain flexible as MLS considers potential changes to its roster and spending rules under incoming Commissioner Larry Berg.

De Fougerolles doesn’t turn 21 until Oct. 12, but arrives with a full season of European first-division soccer, 18 senior international appearances and four World Cup starts on his résumé.

De Fougerolles will first have to complete the visa process before becoming available for selection.

Then RSL will find out how quickly that experience translates to MLS.