JAMAICA’S Reggae Boyz goalkeeper Amal Knight sees his transfer to the United Soccer League (USL) club Lexington Sporting Club from Harbour View FC as a crucial step in his career.

The 29-year-old has signed a one-year contract with Lexington which is now pending league and federation approval.

Knight is no stranger to the USL Championship, having signed with the San Diego Loyal in 2020. While he did not get pitch time with San Diego, Knight made seven appearances in goal for then-USL League One side FC Tucson on a loan stint that year.

He told the Jamaica Observer he is very grateful for another opportunity in the USL to showcase his talent on the international stage.

“I am really pleased about this contract to know that it is another opportunity for me to develop as a goalkeeper and as a person and so I am really excited for this new chapter,” said Knight.

“The plan going there is to really solidify myself as the number one goalkeeper because I want to get the starting job. It is a new challenge and it is a new environment, so I am really ready and excited because I have been in the league before and I know what the league is all about,” he said.

“I know what I am capable of doing and so I am just going to use my experience and go there with my wealth of football knowledge to help me in this new adventure in my career,” Knight said.

Knight, who is a former Wolmer’s Boys’ schoolboy football standout, made his debut for the Reggae Boyz in 2018 against South Korea in a friendly international match. In total he has made nine appearances for the country.

He said that this contract with Lexington Sporting is also a pathway for him to move to bigger assignments in the United States or in Europe.

“The aim of any player is to step up the ladder, and I think that this is a stepping stone for me to go up the ladder,” Knight said. “I think that anything can happen and once you do well, clubs can come knocking. So, my aim is just to have a solid first season and make my name in the States again and, hopefully at the end of season, we will see what happens,” he said.

“It is a new organisation, and when we first spoke in November they explained to me what kind of project [it is] that they have and I am really excited to be one of the players that they identified to be a part of this new project,” Knight said.

“I think that the project that was outlined to me is really good and so myself and my agent decided straight away that we wanted this deal to happen, and so the club made it happen and I am really happy,” he ended.