MLS: How Conn. native Jake LaCava is approaching his opportunity with Inter Miami

Jake LaCava during a preseason training session with Inter Miami CF. (Inter Miami CF)

Jake LaCava (New Milford, Conn.) turned 22 in January. He’s still very much in the early stages of what he hopes will be a long and prosperous professional soccer career.

In November, Inter Miami CF acquired LaCava from MLS expansion club St. Louis City SC, in exchange for $150,000 in 2023 General Allocation Money, plus $100,000 in potential additional performance-based GAM to St. Louis. LaCava had been selected by St. Louis in the 2022 MLS Expansion Draft, as the club begins competing in the Western Conference this year.

This all came after LaCava was named a 2022 USL Championship Young Player of the Year finalist, while playing for the Tampa Bay Rowdies. He quickly became an integral part of the Rowdies’ attack, after his arrival on loan from the New York Red Bulls, and recorded 12 goals and five assists on a shot conversion rate of 23.5 percent for the league’s highest-scoring attack.