USMNT’s Shaq Moore returns to FC Dallas in a move sparking big questions | OneFootball

FC Dallas signed right-back Shaq Moore to reunite with a relationship that first began in 2014 while Moore was part of the club's youth academy. A deal that involves $50,000 in General Allocation Money and up to $100,000 in performance-based incentives brings Moore back to the club his professional soccer career started in.

After leaving Dallas for Europe, Moore would go on to make over 100 appearances in LaLiga2 for clubs like CF Huracán Moncada, Atlético Levante UD, and CD Tenerife. He returned to MLS in 2022 with Nashville SC, where he further cemented his status as one of the league's most reliable right-backs. Now, he rejoins FC Dallas with the responsibility to be a key piece in the team's rebuilding effort.

FC Dallas's take on Moore

Shaquell Moore comes in at an important period for FC Dallas. Following the sacking of head coach Nico Estévez and Eric Quill's appointment to the helm, the team is looking to get back on track after underperforming these last couple of seasons. Moore, with his European and MLS career, will be a short-term kind of guy that can give them what they need instantly.

Moore has signed a two-year deal with an option for a third year. It is a contract structure that allows FC Dallas to assess his impact while keeping flexibility for their future roster decisions.

What Nashville gain from the transfer

In return, from Nashville SC's perspective, this seems to have been a move of calculation. They received $50,000 in guaranteed GAM, with the potential for $100,000 more in incentives based on Moore's performance. Furthermore, Nashville retains a percentage of any future international transfer fee, which looks after its long-term interests.

Although Moore made significant contributions since joining Nashville in 2022-including appearances in the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup, Concacaf Champions Cup, and Leagues Cup-the club has decided to move in a different direction and create financial flexibility and future opportunities in the market.

Moore's international relevance

It will not be totally new on the international scene for Shaq Moore, though. To date, Moore has 19 appearances for the USMNT since his 2018 debut, including starts at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. During the tournament, he was summoned to feature against the likes of powerhouses such as England and Iran as he proved to hold his own on soccer's largest stage. He scored his first-ever international goal in 2021 during a Concacaf Gold Cup win over Canada.

The signing of Shaq Moore is a strategic move on the part of FC Dallas, balancing practicality with sentiment. It means the club will get an experienced and versatile player, one who understands its culture and history to strengthen the right-back position. It also adds a name that could mean renewal during a very critical rebuilding phase for FC Dallas.

The two-year contract, with an option for an additional year, allows the club room to assess Moore's contributions while assuring potential financial return. For Moore, this is an opportunity to show just how his MLS and international experience can help take FC Dallas to new heights.

Eventually, FC Dallas has to make something out of this signing. Whether he becomes the missing piece in the jigsaw puzzle of this team or just another roster addition is yet to be seen.