# Leo Duru
**Leo Duru** (Leonard Chibueze Duru; born 2005) is an English-born American soccer player who plays as a right-back for Carlisle United in the [National League](https://www.edgepedia.org/national-league), the fifth tier of English football. He came through the academy of Blackburn Rovers, made three first-team appearances for the club, and had loan spells at Barrow, San Diego FC, and Birmingham Legion FC before joining Carlisle as a free agent in July 2026.[1](https://theanalyst.com/players/619/leo-duru) • [2](https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/san-diego-fc-sign-defender-leo-duru-from-blackburn-rovers) • [3](https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/carlisle-sign-defender-duru-one-173444621.html)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name / born | Leonard Chibueze Duru, 2005; right-footed right-back, 178 cm[1](https://theanalyst.com/players/619/leo-duru) • [4](https://iffhs.com/en/player/23721) |
| Youth career | Blackburn Rovers U18 and U21 from 2020/21, with 37 U18 Premier League appearances and 2 goals[5](https://theanalyst.com/players/619/leo-duru/career) |
| Blackburn first team | 3 senior appearances, 1 in the Championship (2024/25), after signing in November 2023[2](https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/san-diego-fc-sign-defender-leo-duru-from-blackburn-rovers) • [5](https://theanalyst.com/players/619/leo-duru/career) |
| Barrow loan (2025) | 8 League Two appearances, 1 goal, 531 minutes[5](https://theanalyst.com/players/619/leo-duru/career) |
| San Diego FC loan (2025–26) | Two substitute MLS appearances in 2025; deal ran through June 2026 with a purchase option[2](https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/san-diego-fc-sign-defender-leo-duru-from-blackburn-rovers) |
| International | United States U-20 international; one assist in four caps per MLSsoccer, three caps per FotMob[2](https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/san-diego-fc-sign-defender-leo-duru-from-blackburn-rovers) • [6](https://www.fotmob.com/en-GB/players/1360350/leo-duru) |
| Current club | Carlisle United, one-year contract signed July 2026 with the option of a further year[3](https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/carlisle-sign-defender-duru-one-173444621.html) |
## Blackburn Rovers
Duru progressed through Blackburn Rovers' youth system, appearing in the U18 Premier League from 2020/21 and in Premier League 2 for the U21 side from 2022/23, where he made 19 appearances with 1 goal and 4 assists in the 2023/24 season.[5](https://theanalyst.com/players/619/leo-duru/career) He was listed with the [Blackburn](https://www.edgepedia.org/blackburn) first team from 24 November 2023.[7](https://www.365scores.com/football/player/leo-duru-149142)
His senior debut chance came in the 2024/25 season, in which he made one Championship appearance, playing a single minute as a substitute, and two League Cup appearances totaling 134 minutes.[5](https://theanalyst.com/players/619/leo-duru/career) MLSsoccer described him as having played three times for Blackburn's first team in total.[2](https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/san-diego-fc-sign-defender-leo-duru-from-blackburn-rovers)
## Loans
**Barrow.** In January 2025 Duru joined Barrow on loan in League Two.
**San Diego FC.** In August 2025, San Diego FC of Major League Soccer acquired Duru on loan from Blackburn, with the deal lasting through June 2026 and including a purchase option. Sporting director [Tyler Heaps](https://www.edgepedia.org/tyler-heaps) described him as a defender with exceptional physical attributes who could also play further forward.[2](https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/san-diego-fc-sign-defender-leo-duru-from-blackburn-rovers) He made two substitute MLS appearances in 2025, totaling 37 minutes, and did not appear in MLS play in 2026; his last competitive match for the club was five minutes against Los Angeles on August 31, 2025.[5](https://theanalyst.com/players/619/leo-duru/career) • [1](https://theanalyst.com/players/619/leo-duru)
**Birmingham Legion.** Duru then spent March to June 2026 on loan at Birmingham Legion FC of the [USL Championship](https://www.edgepedia.org/usl-championship), based in Alabama, making 6 league appearances with 289 minutes and 2 further [USL Cup](https://www.edgepedia.org/usl-cup) appearances.[5](https://theanalyst.com/players/619/leo-duru/career) • [8](https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/news/free-agent-join-club-blackburn-090328478.html)
## Carlisle United
Blackburn released Duru at the end of his contract in late June 2026, alongside players including Ryan Hedges, Sondre Tronstad, and [Nathan Redmond](https://www.edgepedia.org/nathan-redmond), after securing their Championship status.[8](https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/news/free-agent-join-club-blackburn-090328478.html) Carlisle United, newly relegated to the National League, signed him on a one-year contract with the option of a further year on 25 July 2026. Manager Rob Elliot praised his energy, one-on-one defending, and attacking threat.[3](https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/carlisle-sign-defender-duru-one-173444621.html)
In the 2026/27 National League season he established himself in the side, recording 11 league appearances, 2 assists, and 1 yellow card by late October 2026.[6](https://www.fotmob.com/en-GB/players/1360350/leo-duru)
## International career
Duru has represented the United States at under-20 level, appearing in friendlies in October and November 2024. MLSsoccer credits him with one assist in four U-20 caps, while FotMob lists three caps in the same period.[2](https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/san-diego-fc-sign-defender-leo-duru-from-blackburn-rovers) • [6](https://www.fotmob.com/en-GB/players/1360350/leo-duru)
## References
1. [Leo Duru, Opta Analyst](https://theanalyst.com/players/619/leo-duru)
2. [San Diego FC sign defender Leo Duru from Blackburn Rovers, MLSSoccer.com](https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/san-diego-fc-sign-defender-leo-duru-from-blackburn-rovers)
3. [Carlisle sign defender Duru on one-year deal, BBC via Yahoo Sports](https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/carlisle-sign-defender-duru-one-173444621.html)
4. [L. Duru, IFFHS](https://iffhs.com/en/player/23721)
5. [Leo Duru Career History, Opta Analyst](https://theanalyst.com/players/619/leo-duru/career)
6. [Leo Duru, FotMob](https://www.fotmob.com/en-GB/players/1360350/leo-duru)
7. [Leo Duru, 365Scores](https://www.365scores.com/football/player/leo-duru-149142)
8. [Free agent to join new club after Blackburn Rovers exit, The72 via Yahoo Sports](https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/news/free-agent-join-club-blackburn-090328478.html)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Association football › Football people and teams › People › Men's footballers of the British Isles (modern era) › English footballers 2015–present › Defenders › Full-backs and wing-backs*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 11, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license