Inter Miami goalkeeper Drake Callender joined Charlotte FC on Tuesday, both clubs confirmed.
The Herons acquired $400,000 in 2025 General Allocation Money (GAM) and $350,000 in 2026 GAM in the trade.
Callender initially joined the Herons in December 2019 ahead of the club's inaugural MLS season, playing with Inter Miami CF II before eventually debuting and becoming the starting goalkeeper for the first team in 2022.
"Drake joins our squad with three-plus years of MLS experience and is entering a great stage for goalkeeper development," Charlotte general manager Zoran Krneta said. "His MLS experience and recent national team call-ups make him a key piece to help strengthen our goalkeeping core as we continue to build the strongest squad possible for the run-in, but also an eye towards the future."
Callender's efforts in 2022 propelled him to become a finalist for the league's Goalkeeper of the Year award. He went on to record 92 regular-season MLS appearances for the club, but only three of those have come in 2025.
Callender kicked off the 2025 season on the sidelines after suffering an injury while playing with the United States men's national team in January, prior to losing that starting role to Oscar Ustari under Miami coach Javier Mascherano.
Miami, which also saw midfielder Federico Redondo leave for LaLiga's Elche last week, remain in the market for signings, head coach Javier Mascherano said Tuesday.
Among those being targeted, Mascherano said, is Cruz Azul defender Gonzalo Piovi.
"Yes, well, I'm not going to deny it," the Argentine coach told a news conference. "Gonzalo has appeared everywhere and it's something the club is working on.
"From there, to be able to tell you anything more, no, I can't tell you anything more, but the club is also working on another offensive option, so we'll see."
Information from ESPN's Lizzy Becherano was used in this report.
