David Najem was first a part of the Red Bulls organization in 2006, when he was 14-years-old and playing for the Red Bulls Academy.
He played throughout his teen years and moved on to play three seasons with the Red Bulls U-23 team while in college. Najem went to college at Columbia, where he scored 10 goals and had 11 assists over 64 appearances.
The New Jersey native spent time after graduation with FC Eintracht Bamberg, where he made 37 appearances and scored two goals for the German squad.
On May 19, 2016, it was announced that Najem had elected to return home and signed a contract with New York Red Bulls II. Ten years after Najem first started with the Red Bulls, the 24-year-old provided a midseason spark for the team.
He played in 15 games and recorded 871 minutes through the regular season. The 5’7” Najem played as both a defender and midfielder, where he provided valuable stability and kept a high work rate.
In the playoffs, he appeared in all four games and played 395 minutes. Najem saved his only tally of the season for last, as he assisted on the winning goal in the USL Cup.
His steady play helped lead the team to winning the USL Cup, totaling 1,266 minutes and one assist in 19 games played.
New York finished 15-1-3 in 19 games Najem played in this season. He started 13 times, came off the bench the other six, and looks to improve on his successful first season with NYRB II.
