Comets sign goalkeeper Phillip Ejimadu

The Comets have signed former U.S. youth international goalkeeper Phillip Ejimadu to a three-year contract. Per team and league policies, the terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

Ejimadu makes the transition to indoors after gaining vast experience in the outdoor game. His confidence is something that immediately caught head coach Stefan Stokic’s attention.

“He’s confident, but not overconfident. He has great ability and talent with the saves that he makes. He’s very vocal and we hope he will be able to challenge for the starting spot,” Stokic said.

Ejimadu, who holds citizenship with the United States, Brazil and Nigeria, heard great things about the MASL and the Comets before joining. He is grateful and excited to kickstart the next chapter in his career playing on the blue turf inside Cable Dahmer Arena.

“For me it's like a dream come true,” Ejimadu said. “It's a club who opened doors for me. They gave me an opportunity to start my indoor career and so far I’ve enjoyed everything that I’ve seen.”

The Minnesota native moved to Sao Paulo, Brazil as a youth to join the development academy of Nacional Atlético Clube. While with Nacional Atlético Clube, Ejimadu earned a March 2018 call-up to the U.S. U-20 training camp in Spain.

After five years in Brazil, he returned to the United States in 2019 to sign his first professional contract with Los Angeles Football Club in MLS. He was soon sent on loan to FC Tuscon in USL League One where he recorded four shutouts in 15 games before spending the 2020 season on loan with the San Diego Loyal in the USL Championship. He returned to the USL Championship in 2021 when he signed for the Las Vegas Lights.

Ejimadu joined Rochester New York FC in 2022, where he played a game in the inaugural MLS Next Pro season and three games in their Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup run until they were eliminated in the fourth round by New York City FC.

Now with the move to indoor soccer, Ejimadu knows that the transition will take time but he is willing to learn. “It's new for me. I’m basically starting over again. There’s a lot of things I need to learn and day by day I’ll get there.”

The 24-year-old is the second recent addition to the Comets’ goalkeeper union after former Florida Tropics netminder Chris Frederick signed in August.