Charlotte FC ‘truly revitalized’ Ashley Westwood’s career. The captain is staying put.

Charlotte FC is charging into the fall with solid footing in the MLS Eastern Conference standings and with the possibility of a deep playoff run feeling as real as it ever has.

Oh, and the team’s captain is staying put, too.

Charlotte FC has signed midfielder Ashley Westwood to a new contract, the club announced on Tuesday, locking the captain down through 2026. The contract also includes a club option for 2027. The move keeps one of the most impactful leaders in the locker room and one of the most well-known faces on the squad in Charlotte — a city that has enjoyed Charlotte FC’s best season to date in 2024.

“Life in Charlotte has been an incredible experience for me and my family, and I’m extremely happy to re-sign with the club,” Westwood said via statement. “I joined Charlotte FC at a very rough point following a serious injury, and it’s been a breath of fresh air that has truly revitalized my career. It’s an honor to captain the side, and this city and fan base is incredible.

“We know we can reach greater heights, and I’m excited to continue leading this group into the seasons to come.”

Westwood, 34, has played in 65 matches across all competitions for CLTFC. He’s scored five goals and notched nine assists in that time.

The Englishman found Major League Soccer, as he said, at a pivotal time in his career. Westwood arrived to North Carolina having made 286 career English Premier League appearances for Burnley FC, including 26 starts in the 2021-22 season. The midfielder and free-kick specialist fractured his ankle in April of 2022, though, and didn’t play for his squad after the injury.

That’s when Charlotte came calling, and it’s also when Westwood answered. He wore the captain’s armband in his first match for Charlotte FC — taking the role over for another EPL vet who retired and moved to the CLTFC coaching staff, Christian Fuchs — and never looked back.

To get a sense of how Westwood embraced his role at Charlotte FC — and has helped transform the club that has steadily shown improvement from Year 1 in 2022 to now — here’s what head coach Dean Smith said about Westwood in a 2024 Observer story:

“I spoke to Ashley Westwood when I first spoke to Charlotte,” said Smith, who took the Charlotte FC job after an illustrious career in England himself. “I didn’t know Ashley, but I picked up the phone because I got his number off somebody. He’d been at Villa and had overlapped with people I’d worked with as well. And I just wanted to get his opinion on the club. And I remember, the biggest thing he said to me is, ‘When you come, you’ve got to embrace it.’ And one of the things he said to me is, ‘Enzo Copetti has really embraced it. I’ve embraced it. Nathan Byrne has really embraced it.’ And I think that’s a really big and strong point.”

Westwood’s work, teamed up with the work of Smith and the rest of the squad, has Charlotte FC sitting at sixth in the Eastern Conference standings — the best ground the team has had in September. It now has 38 points, one less than New York City FC and one more than Orlando. The top nine teams technically make the postseason, and the top seven teams avoid the “play-in” game, which is what Charlotte FC had to play in last year.

“Ashley has been a tremendous leader and ambassador for our club over the past two seasons, and we’re delighted to sign him to a new contract,” general manager Zoran Krneta said of Westwood via statement. “He is perfect representation of what it means to be a Charlotte FC player, who dedicates himself to the club both on and off the field.

“He has been a crucial part of building this club throughout the last two seasons, and he will continue to be a vital player for us as we all fight for our first piece of silverware.”

Charlotte FC next takes on Montreal at 7:30 p.m. Saturday on the road.