Gleeson, an ex-Team Wellington player, produced eight clean sheets for the unbeaten Timbers’ U-23 side as they raced to the USL’s Premier Development League championship title last season.
As a result, the Palmerston North-born Gleeson was named in the PDL’s All-Western Conference team and crowned the league’s goals-against-average champion after conceding just five times in 15 games.
Gleeson is joined in the MLS by former Team Wellington team-mate Dan Keat, who signed recently with the LA Galaxy.
Keat is the second New Zealander to sign for the Galaxy and follows in the footsteps of Simon Elliott.
The duo could be joined by fellow former ASB Premiership player Michael Boxall, who is in pre-season training with MLS expansion franchise the Vancouver Whitecaps.
Ex-Auckland City defender Boxall, who starred for New Zealand at the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Canada, was acquired with Keat by the Whitecaps in last month’s MLS supplemental draft but has yet to finalise a permanent deal.
Another ASB Premiership player attracting interest from the MLS is All White Cole Peverley.
Following a trial with the Seattle Sounders, the Hawke’s Bay United midfielder will join Charleston Battery in the 2011 USL competition when his stint in the ASB Premiership ends.
“Cole has a lot of youth international experience and will look to make a stamp on our midfield right away,” Charleston head coach Mike Anhaeuser says. “He should bring a lot of quality to the middle and we look forward to his debut.”
Gleeson and Keat are not the only Kiwis set to ply their trade in the MLS this season.
Former Otago United defender Andrew Boyens recently left the New York Red Bulls to sign with Chivas USA alongside veteran midfielder Simon Elliott, who joins Boyens at Chivas after a short stint with the Wellington Phoenix.
Other All Whites to have starred in the past for MLS clubs are current captain Ryan Nelsen, Duncan Oughton, Jarrod Smith, Tony Lochhead and Cameron Knowles.
Story courtesy of New Zealand Football.
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