Real Salt Lake sign homegrown Aaron Herrera through 2024

Real Salt Lake have extended the contract of homegrown defender Aaron Herrera, keeping him at the club through the 2024 Major League Soccer season with options for 2025 and 2026. 

Herrera first debuted for the team in 2018, and has gone on to contribute one goal and 16 assists in 107 appearances for the Western Conference side. 

“Aaron epitomizes what Real Salt Lake’s development paradigm represents,” RSL general manager Elliot Fall said in a release. 

“Aaron has been a standout MLS defender throughout his professional career, college, his youth international career as well. We are exceptionally proud of how he represents this club, and we are elated that his presence here is secured for the foreseeable future.”

The defender worked himself up through RSL’s academy, initially joining in 2012. He reached the USSDA National Championship twice in his three years, before reaching USL2 club FC Tucson and eventually Real Salt Lake’s senior squad. 

“I was just a 15-year-old from Las Cruces with a dream when I joined the RSL Academy in Casa Grande, Arizona back in 2012,” said Herrera. 

“The last five seasons here in Salt Lake have brought me so much, have helped me grow on and off the field, so I simply couldn’t be more excited to extend my career at Real Salt Lake.”

With his help, Real Salt Lake stands in second place on the Western Conference table with 28 points in 16 matches and a record of 8W-4L-4D. The team is also coming off of a spectacular 2021 playoff run, shockingly reaching the semifinals as underdogs before falling 2-0 to the Portland Timbers.