Bob Lenarduzzi says soccer phenom Alphonso Davies catches your eye the first time you watch him play.
Lenarduzzi, the Vancouver Whitecaps team president, says Davies has the talent to justify the record-breaking deal confirmed Wednesday that will send the Canadian 17-year-old midfielder from Major League Soccer to German Bundesliga giant Bayern Munich.
B次元官网网址淵ou can hear the stadium start to pause when he gets the ball in our end because the anticipation is that heB次元官网网址檚 going to go coast to coast. And sometimes he does,B次元官网网址� Lenarduzzi told media Wednesday.
B次元官网网址淚 think heB次元官网网址檚 a very rare individual because heB次元官网网址檚 got the whole package. HeB次元官网网址檚 got the mental makeup and the ability.B次元官网网址�
Multiple major soccer clubs were involved in weeks-long talks about acquiring the Canadian international midfielder, Lenarduzzi said, and there was a B次元官网网址渟ignificant differenceB次元官网网址� between the first offer and the final offer.
Interest from various clubs grew over the three weeks of talks as Davies continued to produce highlight reel-worthy goals on the field, he added.
In the end, Bayern Munich agreed to a transfer deal that the Whitecaps have said could amount to more than US$22 million, the most ever received by an MLS club in the leagueB次元官网网址檚 23-year history. Bayern Munich has said DaviesB次元官网网址� contract runs through 2023.
馃栈锔� : " is a huge talent. At just 17, he has a bright future ahead of him. Alphonso is very talented and it comes as no surprise that many other top clubs were after him."
B次元官网网址� FC Bayern English (@FCBayernEN)
The previous MLS transfer record was set in 2008 when Spanish club Villarreal spent US$10 million to acquire striker Jozy Altidore from the New York Red Bulls.
Davies said he had always dreamed of the moment where he would sign with a world-renowned team.
B次元官网网址淣ow that the dream has come true, the work continues as always,B次元官网网址� Davies, who was in Philadelphia to sign the deal before Bayern played a friendly against Juventus on Wednesday night, said in a statement.
B次元官网网址淚 have to keep pushing and keep striving, and also keep being me on the field.B次元官网网址�
Known for his blazing speed and uncanny ability to maintain control of the ball, Davies has worked his way up to VancouverB次元官网网址檚 starting lineup. He has eight assists and three goals in league play this season, and is scheduled to play in the MLS all-star game in Atlanta next month.
HeB次元官网网址檚 eligible to join Bayern when the international transfer window re-opens in January 2019 and will play out the rest of the MLS season in Vancouver.
Keeping Davies as part of the B次元官网网址楥aps team was never a sticking point during negotiations, said Whitecaps chief operating officer Rachel Lewis, who was involved in the talks.
B次元官网网址�(Bayern) were excited to have him continue to play and obviously we think thatB次元官网网址檚 the best thing for our club,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淚 think they shared our vision that having him on the field and contributing meaningful minutes was the best thing for his development.B次元官网网址�
From to . 馃嚚馃嚘馃嚛馃嚜
B次元官网网址� Major League Soccer (@MLS)
Homegrown midfielder joins the German champions in a record-breaking MLS transfer!
Bayern has won a record 28 German soccer titles, and has captured the UEFA Champions League five times.
The clubB次元官网网址檚 sporting director, Hasan Salihamidzic, posted about his newest player on Twitter, calling Davies a B次元官网网址渉uge talent.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淎t just 17, he has a bright future ahead of him. Alphonso is very talented and it comes as no surprise that many other top clubs were after him,B次元官网网址� Salihamidzic said.
Davies B次元官网网址� affectionately known by his teammates and Whitecaps staff as Fonzie B次元官网网址� joined the Whitecaps residency program in 2015. Because heB次元官网网址檚 a B次元官网网址渉omegrown player,B次元官网网址� the team will keep the entire transfer fee.
The money will be invested back into the sporting side of the club and staff already have their eyes on a few players they want to sign, Lenarduzzi said.
He added some of the cash will go toward developing young talent.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e made our way through that process. Alphonso is the jewel of that. And for us, I think itB次元官网网址檚 actually to accelerate that side of it and ensure that if there is another Alphonso Davies out there, we want to unearth him,B次元官网网址� he said.
This isnB次元官网网址檛 the first time Bayern Munich has picked up a Canadian teen.
The club acquired Calgary-born Owen Hargreaves in 1997, when he was 16 years old. He went on to play seven seasons with Bayern, plus five more with Manchester United and Manchester City in the English Premier League.
Internationally, Hargreaves suited up for England, playing on both the 2002 and 2006 World Cup squads.
Davies has already made his mark on the Canadian menB次元官网网址檚 team, after being called up to play in July 2017 shortly after he received his Canadian citizenship.
At the 2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup, the rising star became the youngest player to ever score for team Canada and the youngest scorer in the tournamentB次元官网网址檚 history. He took home the Golden Boot and Best Young Player honours from the event.
Alphonso Davies vs Orlando City.
B次元官网网址� Complaxes (@Complaxes)
(10.06.2018)
In this MLS-Game the Canadian went off, defenders just couldn't stop him.
Scored 1 Goal and provided 3 Assists.
And this kid is just 17-Years old.
Unreal potential.
Bayern's next big thing? 馃敟
Earlier this year, Davies made a passionate speech on behalf of the United Bid to the FIFA World Congress in Russia ahead of the vote for the 2026 World Cup.
He described being born in a refugee camp in Ghana after his parents fled the Liberian civil war. The family later immigrated to Canada and eventually settled in Edmonton.
Davies told the crowd that his dream is to someday compete in soccerB次元官网网址檚 biggest tournament, perhaps even in his hometown.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e played matches in Mexico, Canada and the United States. The people of North America have always welcomed me. If given the opportunity, I know theyB次元官网网址檒l welcome you.B次元官网网址�
The United Bid, featuring Canada, the U.S. and Mexico, won the bid to host the tournament.
Lenarduzzi has said that he got goosebumps watching Davies speak.
HeB次元官网网址檚 a fine young man who has been successful at every level heB次元官网网址檚 played at, the Whitecaps president said on Wednesday.
B次元官网网址淗eB次元官网网址檚 got the ability but heB次元官网网址檚 also got the personality and the temperament to shine at this level as well,B次元官网网址� he said.
B次元官网网址淚 think the ceiling is endless.B次元官网网址�
-With a file from the Canadian Press.
kieran.oconnor@bpdigital.ca
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