FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (January 8, 2024) – New England Revolution II have signed forwards Alex Monis and Andrej Bjelajac and defender Collin Smith ahead of the 2024 MLS NEXT Pro season.
Monis, 20, signs with Revolution II from Chicago Fire FC, where he signed as a Homegrown Player on March 11, 2020. The forward made his MLS debut on November 7, 2021 and tallied his first MLS goal on October 7, 2022. Monis owns 11 goals and two assists in his 40 MLS NEXT Pro appearances with Chicago Fire FC II. During his 2023 loan to Rio Grande Valley FC, the forward notched one goal in six appearances.
Bjelajac, 18, joins New England from Serbian league Omladinska liga Srbije, where he featured with Gaficar Belgrad U19, FK Vojvodina Novi Sad U19, and FK Partizan Belgrade U19/U17 over the last three seasons. The Serbian native owns 15 goals and three assists across 44 appearances and has logged over 1,700 minutes in the youth ranks.
Smith, 20, is entering his sixth professional season after spending his first five within the FC Dallas organization. The defender made his professional debut in July 2020 with North Texas SC and later signed with FC Dallas as a Homegrown Player in April 2021. Smith put up two goals and five assists with the MLS NEXT Pro side in 2022 and made his MLS debut on May 31, 2022 vs. Sporting Kansas City. During his loan to USL Championship Birmingham Legion FC, Smith tallied one goal in five 2023 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup appearances, logging 457 minutes in the tournament.
TRANSACTION: New England Revolution II signed forwards Alex Monis and Andrej Bjelajac and defender Collin Smith to MLS NEXT Pro professional contracts on January 8, 2024.
ALEX MONIS
Pronunciation: MOH-nihs
Position: Forward
Date of Birth: 3/20/2003 (20)
Hometown: Downers Grove, Ill.
Height: 5’6”
Weight: 132
How Acquired: Signed by Revolution II to an MLS NEXT Pro professional contract on January 8, 2024.
ANDREJ BJELAJAC
Pronunciation: AHN-dray BEE-uh-lie-LATZ
Position: Forward
Date of Birth: 7/6/2005 (18)
Hometown: Smederevo, Serbia
Height: 6’1”
Weight: 165
How Acquired: Signed by Revolution II to an MLS NEXT Pro professional contract on January 8, 2024.
COLLIN SMITH
Position: Defender
Date of Birth: 12/4/2003 (20)
Hometown: Jacksonville, Fla.
Height: 5’10”
Weight: 172
How Acquired: Signed by Revolution II to an MLS NEXT Pro professional contract on January 8, 2024.
