• Massimo Morabito is a talented teenage defender who spent time in the Philadelphia Union and Orlando City academies
• Justin Milovanov is a defensive midfielder from Brooklyn, NY, who played this fall for Marquette
• The Cosmos kick off their USL League One campaign on March 14, 2026, vs. Portland Hearts of Pine at Hinchliffe Stadium

PATERSON, NJ (Dec. 23, 2025) — The New York Cosmos have finalized the signing of two new players, increasing the first-team roster to 17 while continuing to add talented, versatile athletes with considerable potential.

The two new players are outside back Massimo Morabito, an exciting 17-year-old prospect out of Philadelphia, and defensive midfielder Justin Milovanov from Brooklyn, NY.

“Massimo and Justin add great value to our team. They are willing to sacrifice it all to follow their dream of playing pro soccer,” Cosmos Vice Chairman and Head of Soccer Giuseppe Rossi said.

“Having talented players who are also willing to take risks and make giant leaps in their professional life are the players we want around us,” he continued. “That mentality is who we are as a team and community. To do big things in life you need to make big decisions, and that’s what Massimo and Justin are doing.”

The Cosmos are accelerating their preparation for a highly-anticipated return to competitive play next year. The club will be in USL League One, an 18-team circuit that sits in U.S. pro soccer’s third tier. Home matches will take place at historic and refurbished Hinchliffe Stadium in Paterson NJ. The first of at least 19 League One and Prinx Tires USL Cup home games will be March 14, 2026, against Portland Hearts of Pine.

See below for more on the two new players, along with thoughts on each from Cosmos Head Coach Davide Corti.

Massimo Morabito

Hailing from Philadelphia, Morabito, 17, joined the Philadelphia Union’s renowned academy in 2020. Three years later, the defender moved on his own to Florida to sign with Orlando City. Living apart from his family, Morabito was training with MLS Next Pro side Orlando City B at just 15 years of age and was the regular right back for the club’s U-17s.

Technical and athletic, Morabito returned to Pennsylvania this year to play for FC Delco and explore professional opportunities.

“I want to compete in a serious professional environment, where I can keep growing as a player,” Morabito said. “I think signing with the Cosmos is an opportunity to grow as a player and a person, and I think it’s a chance to push myself and keep building toward a future in this game.”

Corti: “He’s a prospect who came up through important academies and when we saw him, we saw the strength and commitment that we’re looking for. He’s still young, but he has the right mindset and he’s very determined to achieve the things he wants. He’s very coachable and he’ll soak up all the information he receives every day that he’s on the field.”

Justin Milovanov

Milovanov is a 22-year-old midfielder from Brooklyn, NY, who just wrapped up his college career at Marquette University by starting 15 of the Golden Eagles’ 16 matches. He tallied two goals and one assist. Milovanov started 13 times in 2024 and scored three goals.

Prior to Marquette, Milovanov played for UMass Lowell, scoring twice in 15 appearances in fall 2023. He also has experience playing in USL League Two. He spent last summer with FC Tucson, scoring once. Milovanov played for the Boston Bolts in 2024 and attended James Madison High School in Brooklyn.

Corti: “We are impressed with his strength and power, and you can see when watching him in midfield that he can contribute to the attack and make box-to-box runs. Combine that with the fact that we were looking for a midfielder who’s more defensive than some of the others that we’ve got, and we were enthusiastic to get this guy on board.”

The Cosmos expect to announce additional player signings in the coming weeks.

For more information on the club, please visit https://www.nycosmos.com/.

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