Portland’s 2023 MLS SuperDraft first round pick earns a first team contract.
The Portland Timbers have signed midfielder Noel Caliskan to a one-year deal with club options in 2024 and 2025. The German international was selected by Portland in the first round (No. 15 overall) of the 2023 MLS SuperDraft out of Loyola Marymount University.
On a short-term loan from T2, Caliskan made his first-team debut in Wednesday night’s U.S. Lamar Hunt Open Cup match against Orange County SC. The 22-year-old debuted with a 90-minute performance, helping Portland advance to the Round of 32 with a 3-1 win at Providence Park. Caliskan signed his first professional contract with T2 ahead of the 2023 MLS NEXT Pro season and has since scored three goals in four appearances (3 starts).
In his four years at LMU (2019-2022), the Cologne, Germany native registered nine goals and 13 assists in 65 appearances (64 starts). Caliskan had a decorated collegiate career, including West Coast Conference Midfielder of the Year in back-to-back seasons (2022, 2021), WCC Offensive Player of the Year (2021), WCC Player of the Year (2020), WCC Freshman of the Year (2019) and was a MAC Hermann Trophy semifinalist following his junior season (2021). Caliskan was named to the All-WCC First Team in his last three seasons with the Lions (2020-2022) and was honored on the All-WCC Second Team his freshman year (2019). At the youth level, Caliskan played club soccer at FC Köln from 2012-2017 and Fortuna Düsseldorf from 2017-2019.
Noel Caliskan
Position: Midfielder
Height: 5-11
Weight: 150
Citizenship: Germany
Date of Birth: Aug. 8, 2000
Age: 22
