STATESBORO, Ga. - South Georgia Tormenta FC announced on Monday that 2023 USL League One Young Player of the Year Jackson Khoury had signed with MLS NEXT Pro side Tacoma Defiance, the developmental team of Major League Soccer's Seattle Sounders FC. Financial terms of the deal will not be disclosed.

"In this young man, the Sounders organization has acquired a tireless worker who engages fully in the process of self-development," South Georgia Tormenta FC Head Coach Ian Cameron said. "The Sounders' game model will suit Jackson's skill set, and we anticipate he will adapt to the new environment very quickly. We're proud as an organization to trade once again with teams like Seattle for the talents our club produces as we continue to help provide young men and women of high character and competency opportunities to turn professional and spread their wings at the highest level possible."

"I am excited to see what a player like Jackson brings to the club," said Tacoma Defiance Head Coach Hervé Diese. "He has proven over the course of his career that he is a quality attacking threat and we are confident that he can improve our team both on the field and off. I'm eager for him to join the squad and see how we can utilize his talents."

The Baulkham Hills, Australia native joins Tacoma after spending the last two seasons with South Georgia Tormenta FC, where he was named the 2023 USL League One Young Player of the Year. Across all competitions in 2023 and 2024, Khoury totaled eight goals and eight assists through 65 matches.

Prior to moving to the United States, Khoury spent a year with Sydney United 58 FC in Australia's second-division National Premier Leagues NSW. Khoury appeared for Sydney United in 2021, playing eight matches, scoring twice and assisting twice. With the Sydney-based team, Khoury took on the Western Sydney Wanderers of the A-League in the Football Federation Australia (FFA) Cup, now known as the Australia Cup.

Khoury was instrumental in Sydney United's National Premier League NSW 2020 championship run. Khoury scored the third goal in the final and scored the second penalty kick in the penalty shootout after 120 minutes. In 2022, Khoury spent time with the Central Coast Mariners Academy, which currently competes in the Y-League and National Premier Leagues.

On the international stage, Khoury has made one senior national team appearance for Lebanon in a FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifier against his native Australia on March 26, 2024. Khoury also spent time with the Lebanon youth national team in previous camps.

Khoury's move highlights an emerging pattern across South Georgia Tormenta FC's men's, women's and youth teams. The nearly decade-old club has played a key role in the development of players such as Newcastle United WFC's Amy Andrews, St. Louis CITY SC's Indiana Vassilev, Brooklyn FC's Sydney Martinez, D.C. United's Conner Antley, and New Mexico United's Marco Micaletto, among several others.

"We knew from the moment we recruited Jackson to our club that he had a competency and skill set that gave him a high ceiling in professional soccer," South Georgia President and Co-Owner Darin Van Tassell said. "Our club and community will miss Jackson, and we all are eager to watch his continued success. Developing players remains an important pathway on which we built this club.