DAVIES A HOT COMMODITY
Record deal likely for local teen
If you didn’t realize how big of a global story Edmonton’s 17-yearold soccer sensation Alphonso Davies had become, it became obvious Tuesday.
Dozens of major media outlets dedicated to soccer coverage around the world authoritatively announced that Davies was a done deal, the Vancouver Whitecaps had sold the contract rights to their best player and only league all-star for the highest transfer fee in the history of Major League Soccer to German giant Bayern Munich.
Davies was “trending ” all over the planet, but the team officials and media relation directors of both clubs had duct tape over their mouths and handcuffs around their wrists.
Either from at home in Bavaria or in Philadelphia, where they’re in town to play Juventus in a friendly on Wednesday, there was no official confirmation from Bayern Munich.
But nobody was pretending it wasn’t going to happen.
“Nothing is final yet, but it’s looking good,” Bayern coach Niko Kovac told reporters at a news conference to set up the Juventus match. “He’s a big talent, he’s young and very fast.”
It was also crickets from Vancouver, where the Whitecaps practised on Tuesday.
But again, there wasn’t much reading between the lines to be done.
Whitecaps head coach Carl Robinson told reporters in Vancouver it wouldn’t be right not to allow Davies to go on to bigger and better things.
“Did we want to sell him? No. He’s a big success on the field. But you can’t be selfish. We have a wonderful talent on our hands, at the club level, and even at the international level.”
You get the idea. Neither team was denying the deal was done, just like they hadn’t been denying they’d been working on the deal for four or five days.
There are a few complicated legalities involved with separate leagues. There’s an international transfer window that officially doesn’t open until January.
Plus there’s the complication that Davies doesn’t turn 18 until Nov. 2 and isn’t legal to play as a contract player with the Bundesliga team until then.
Until the lawyers and leagues had finished wrestling with those issues, the teams had to sit mute with Davies unavailable for comment until Wednesday at the earliest.
The deal, at least as announced by the multitude of media outlets, indicated that Davies would be able to complete the MLS season with the Whitecaps before joining Bayern Munich.
Because he can’t officially play for the German side until his 18th birthday, the belief is the deal will be announced and Bayern will then lend Davies back to Vancouver for the rest of the season.
According to SportBild Bayern reporter Tobias Altschaffl, German team official Hasan Salihamidzic was recently in Canada and finalized the acquisition of Davies,” and referenced “a base pay fee of 13 million euros, although the price could rise to 20 million euros,” with the possible bonus clause structure involved.
Thirteen million euro is the equivalent of $20.2 million.
As reported by your correspondent on Monday, based on numbers released by the MLS Players’ Association, the Whitecaps guaranteed compensation as a team this year sat at US$8.2 million. In other words, Whitecaps boss Bob Lenarduzzi has likely negotiated a transfer fee of double the salary costs of the Whitecaps this season and still will be able to keep the player for the rest of the season.
The Whitecaps play the Montreal Impact at B.C. Place on Wednesday, with another home game Saturday against Minnesota United, before travelling to New York the following weekend to play New York City FC at Yankee Stadium. The team has an Oct. 6 game at BMO Field against Toronto FC.
The Whitecaps have eight remaining home regular-season games. Vancouver has averaged 21,493 fans per game so far this season and would likely see a spike with the spotlight on Davies for his final games wearing a Vancouver kit.
It’s believed the MLS record transfer fee was set in 2008 when New York Red Bulls sold Jozy Altidore (now of Toronto FC) to Spanish La Liga side Villarreal for a reported US$10 million.
Not reported Tuesday was the new contract Davies would receive. He was earning $72,500 this season playing for the Whitecaps. When a transfer fee is negotiated, a new contract must also be negotiated between the player and his new club.
The good news is that Davies will be able to play in Canada internationally.