Tauranga-born striker Riley Bidois has signed a professional contract with USL Championship club Loudon United.

The club says the deal is a two-year contract with an option for the 2026 season, pending league and federation approval.

Riley, 21, moves to the Virginian club from Australia’s Dandenong City who play in Victoria Premier League 2.

Loudon United finished 11th in the 12-team USL Championship’s Eastern Conference in 2023. It is the second tier of competition below Major League Soccer.

The club was established in 2018 to provide the reserve team for MLS franchise DC United, of Washington.

“Riley is an extremely talented young attacker that played at the Wellington Phoenix Academy," says Loudon United head coach Ryan Martin.

“He has great movement to get in behind the defence and a great nose for goal.

“He will be extremely competitive in the USL Championship, and we are happy to welcome him.”

Riley, who emerged as a talented youth player with Tauranga City, came to prominence in 2023 when he scored five goals for the national U-23 team in their 9-0 win against Fiji, securing a spot for New Zealand at the Paris Olympics.

In 2019, Riley left the Bay of Plenty for Wellington where he played for Central League club Lower Hutt City, and then the Phoenix reserves.

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