Alphonso Davies, the 17-year-old Canadian phenom who we’d really like to see race Kylian Mbappe, was omitted from the Vancouver Whitecaps match against Seattle on Saturday with multiple outlets citing well-developed talks between the MLS side and German power Bayern Munich. According to reports, a $12 million transfer fee — which could rise to as high as $18 million with performance add-ons — is expected to be announced shortly.
Alphonso Davies is not playing today with the club’s permission. The club will provide an update with any further details when relevant. #VWFC pic.twitter.com/jAEKlKFxfw
— Vancouver Whitecaps (@WhitecapsFC) July 21, 2018
So it’s all still technically speculation at this point with nothing official coming from either Vancouver or Bayern, but the traditional “Welcome To Bayern” YouTube videos are now arriving, so it’s a done deal.
Davies, born in 2000, made his MLS debut in 2016, becoming the second youngest player to ever play in MLS, trailing only Mr. Freddy Adu. In 2017, Davies became more of a regular for the Whitecaps, appearing in 26 matches and starting nine of them.
The current season has seen him become a consistent starter and performer for the club, appearing in 20 matches while scoring three goals and adding eight assists. The teenager is already one of the league’s most terrifying outside midfielders, and his play saw him rewarded with a selection to the 2018 MLS All-Star game.
Davies has appeared for the Canadian national team six times, scoring three goals (all coming at the 2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup).
“All along we’ve said, when I threw him in as a 15-year-old and people said I was crazy, that the potential that he had was phenomenal,” Whitecaps manager Carl Robinson said. “Over the last two years people have said what are you doing and why aren’t you playing him in every minute of every game, why are you protecting him from the media and why aren’t you putting him on ESPN, why did you leave him out, and things like that.
“I’ve said, just be patient. I’ve been here before, I know what works and what doesn’t. Maybe in the next day or so you’ll see and you’ll say, ‘Okay right, maybe he does know what he’s talking about.”
If Bayern does indeed shatter the record fee paid for an MLS player (a record currently belonging to Villarreal and Jozy Altidore), Robinson can certainly take a lot of credit for helping to develop one of the league’s most exciting talents ever.
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