The Charleston Battery today confirmed the acquisition of attacking midfielder Prince Saydee from Rhode Island FC on a permanent transfer, the teams announced Thursday. Per club policy, the terms of the deal were not disclosed. The transaction is pending league and federation approval.
The 31-year-old Liberian featured in 11 matches for Rhode Island across all competitions in 2024 and now makes the move down the East Coast to the defending conference champions.
“It’s an honor to be joining this club in the second half of the season, Charleston are a great team with a great group of players, I’m just grateful for the opportunity,” said Saydee. “I’m here to give my very best every day, whether in practice or games. Most importantly, I’m here to win games because there are a lot of matches left in the season, and to make it to the playoffs, we need victories and I’m here to help the team in that direction.”
Saydee enjoyed a breakout campaign in 2023, where he was Hartford Athletic’s top goalscorer with 10 tallies across 32 games. In 2022, Saydee led Hartford in assists with eight, demonstrating his craftiness and effectiveness in all phases of attack. Saydee's versatility makes him capable of being deployed as a winger, midfielder or forward.
Since 2020, Saydee has scored 16 goals and 15 assists across 108 USL Championship regular season matches with Rhode Island, Hartford, Phoenix Rising FC and Miami FC. Saydee reconnects with former Phoenix teammate Arturo Rodriguez with the Battery.
Head Coach Ben Pirmann is looking forward to adding Saydee’s combination of experience and skills to the squad.
“Prince is an explosive and dynamic winger, he is quick and smart in runs behind and can be dangerous on the dribble,” said Coach Pirmann. “He’s a direct, left-footed winger who is aggressive in attacking moments with high-end speed. He has plenty of Championship experience and a record of scoring goals and creating chances.
“We keep a small roster, so when there are injuries and other circumstances that reduce the availability of players, we must be aggressive in finding the right person and player to add to the squad. Prince fills the role of a vertical attacker and a top teammate.”
On the international stage, Saydee has earned three caps for the Liberian national team, featuring in a 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifier and a 2019 AFCON qualifier.
Saydee began his professional career in 2013 with Liberian Premier League side Barrack Young Controllers FC. He scored 23 goals in 47 matches and won four domestic trophies before moving Stateside in 2019.
Saydee won’t have to wait long to start this new chapter of his career in Charleston.
“I can’t wait to meet the fans at Patriots Point on Friday and I can’t wait for us to get some wins together with, it all starts soon,” said Saydee.
Saydee will wear the number 7 and will be available for selection for the Battery’s upcoming home match against North Carolina FC on June 28.
