The Deltas today announced the signing of French national Maxime Bourgeois and MLS veteran Michael Stephens. They will be joining eight other invitees for the team’s preseason camp which will start in late January.
Maxime Bourgeois has played his whole career in France. The winger/forward was part of the French National Team’s U-17, U-19, and U-20 squads. Professionally he played in the French Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 for Auxerre, Laval, Chateauroux, and US Creteil.
“Maxime can make things happen in the offensive third as a winger with his pace,” commented San Francisco Deltas coach Marc Dos Santos. “This experience in a new country will provide him a boost in his career.”
The Deltas also signed former MLS player Michael Stephens. The UCLA standout was picked in the first round of the 2010 MLS SuperDraft by the Los Angeles Galaxy. He recorded eight assists in his rookie campaign. After three seasons with the Galaxy, and winning two MLS Cups, he moved to Europe in 2014 to play for former US Men’s National Team coach Bob Bradley at Staebaek Fotball in Norway.
After one season Stephens came back to America and spent the past two years in the MLS with the Chicago Fire. Although he was released by the last-place team at the end of the 2016 season, his ball-handling skills and composure in the midfield garnered the interest of several other MLS clubs before he signed with the Deltas.
“Michael is a very dynamic player who possesses the offensive mind we want in the midfield,” said Dos Santos. “He provides a different dimension combined with the players we have.”
Stephens and Bourgeois will join NASL veterans Greg Jordan and Danny Szetela and the Brazillian Jackson in the Deltas midfield. The team has also signed defenders Nana Attakora, Reiner Ferreira, and goalkeeper Romuald Peiser.
