U.S. international defender Shaquelle Moore has completed his transfer from CD Tenerife to Nashville SC, the MLS club confirmed on Tuesday.
The Tennessean was the first to report that the deal had been completed. ESPN reported last Friday that the deal was in the final stages of being completed, and that Nashville will pay a transfer fee of $2m to Tenerife for the player.
Moore, 25, is signed through the 2025 season, with an option for 2026. In order to sign Moore, Nashville first acquired his discovery priority from CF Montréal in exchange for $50,000 in 2022 general allocation money.
Moore will be available for selection upon receipt of his international transfer certificate.
"Shaq has all of the positive attributes that we look for on both sides of the ball, as well as on and off the field," said Nashville general manager Mike Jacobs.
"He has the ability to be a key contributor in our group, and we are so pleased to have him join us here in Nashville."
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With a roster spot on the U.S. World Cup team on the line, Moore is keen to complete the move and get back to playing as quickly as possible. Moore's last competitive match came on June 19, when Tenerife fell to Girona 3-1 in the second leg of the promotion playoff finals after the first leg finished 0-0.
Moore faces considerable competition at right back on the U.S. team, a group that includes Barcelona's Sergino Dest, Boavista's Reggie Cannon, Inter Miami CF's DeAndre Yedlin, Joe Scally of Borussia Monchengladbach and Westerlo's Bryan Reynolds. Moore has made 15 international appearances, scoring one goal.
While Moore spent part of his youth career with MLS side FC Dallas, he has played the entirety of his professional career in Spain, including the last three seasons with Tenerife. During that time he made 101 league and cup appearances, scoring one goal. He has also spent time on the books of Huracán, Oviedo B, Levante's first and second teams, as well as Reus.
Moore was the starting right back for Tenerife for almost the entirety of the 2020-21 season, but after joining up with his club late following his participation with the U.S. at the 2021 Gold Cup, he lost his spot for much of the just completed campaign. He did win back his place in the starting XI during the latter parts of the season, including the promotion playoffs. Overall he made 29 league and cup appearances, 16 of them starts.
Moore joins a Nashville side that has been inconsistent a bit of late, going 2-3-2 in its last seven matches. NSC is still in fifth place in the Western Conference standings with 30 points from 21 games, though that's just three points ahead of eighth-place Portland. Once fit, Moore is expected to slot into the Nashville lineup given his ability to play as a wingback or right back.