ST PETERSBURG, FL – Following last week’s announcement that the Tampa Bay Rowdies have added former Loudoun United center-back Timmy Mehl as the first new signing of the off-season, the club is starting this week off with the addition of a player from another team the Rowdies faced often in 2021. Longtime Charlotte Independence midfielder Jake Areman has signed a deal to join the Rowdies for the upcoming USL Championship season, instantly adding valuable experience and versatility to Tampa Bay’s midfield.
“We’re really pleased to get Jake on board,” said Rowdies Head Coach Neill Collins. “We’ve watched him a lot, having played against Charlotte four times this past season. We always knew Jake was a real threat for Charlotte heading into those games.”
Areman has spent his entire professional career up to this point with Charlotte. A native of New Jersey, Areman played two seasons for the University of Maryland before transferring to play his last two years of college soccer at Monmouth University. He also played one season with New York Red Bulls U-23s in between college semesters in 2017.
Since signing with Charlotte in 2018, Areman has been a regular fixture in the club’s gameday lineups. The 25-year-old midfielder amassed 86 appearances in all competitions with Charlotte over the last four years. A natural left-footed player, Areman is capable of filling different roles in the midfield and is know for delivering quality service from set pieces. Areman’s contributions in the attack have increased in recent seasons, with the midfielder notching 8 assists over the last two years.
“Jake can carry the ball, he’s good at playing in tight spaces, and he’s got a great left foot,” said Collins. “One thing we’ll be looking to get out of our team and Jake this year will be a few more goals, a few more assists, and I think he’s got the quality to do that. He’s played a lot of games at this level, something that we also like. He’s quite versatile as well. He can play in the middle and out wide. Jake has a really great dead-ball delivery from out wide as well. It’s one of his strengths.”
Confirmed 2022 Rowdies Roster so far:
Goalkeepers: Raiko Arozarena.
Defenders: Jordan Scarlett, Timmy Mehl.
Midfielders: Conner Antley, Yann Ekra, Sebastian Dalgaard, Dayonn Harris, Jake Areman.
Forwards: Steevan Dos Santos, Lucky Mkosana, Jordan Adebayo-Smith.
Stay tuned to the Rowdies social media channels on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram for more new additions to the roster as well as more announcements regarding returning players.
The USL Championship recently announced that the Rowdies home opener is set for Saturday, March 19 versus Indy Eleven. Tampa Bay will kick off the season the prior week at Birmingham Legion FC. The full 34-match regular season schedule will be revealed on Wednesday, January 12. Season tickets for 2022 start as low as $170 for the slate of 17 home matches set to be played at Al Lang. Fans can lock in their season tickets today to ensure they don’t miss a moment of action by calling 727-222-2000 or by visiting https://www.rowdiessoccer.com/tickets.