My take on Alphonso Davies to Bayern Munich
I think Canada is doing everything right in MLS. A few months ago the MLS fans went nuts when Montreal Impact product/teenage star was bought buy Barcelona B. Though it wasn’t a direct buy from Barcelona themselves, this was still an enormous step forward for the league and for developing talent. Today, it has become official that a top 5 club in the world has bought a star MLS product and teenager. Bayern Munich, the German GIANTS, have bought winger Alphonso Davies from the Vancouver Whitecaps for a base deal of $13.4 million. This deal could increase to roughly $22 million if Davies hits certain incentives. However, this deal breaks the MLS record for a sale that was set in 2008 when the New York Red Bulls sold Jozy Altidore to Villareal for $10 million. Davies is only 17 years old and will remain with Vancouver until the end of the season, as he can’t join Bayern until he turns 18 in November. This is an absolutely fantastic accomplishment for many parties but what does it exactly mean to…
Alphonso Daives
Davies now heads to one of the tops clubs in the world at the age of 18. This will put a lot of pressure on the young Canadian’s career but I think so far, he reacts well to pressure. Davies will try to avoid the dreaded loan spells that might come but even if they do, there is a path to success. Davies is coming into a team with aging superstars at the wing position in Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery. This gives him an opportunity to learn from these superstars as well as get minutes in their spots. At this point Davies needs to continue to work hard and play great soccer… something that has gotten him from the point of Ghanaian refugee to Bayern Munich!
Vancouver Whitecaps
Davies was an academy product for the Whitecaps which means that the money from this sale goes directly back to the club. In Major League Soccer (even if the deal satays at $13.4 million) that money will take you a long way! The Whitecaps will without a doubt put this money back into their academy system in which they have a few potential stars coming through already. They might also be able to come in a join the “Big Spender Gang” in MLS. Teams like Atlanta, NYCFC, LA Galaxy, and LAFC have no problem throwing their money around when they can. With this money, this might give Vancouver the opportunity to move away from smaller market players and into some real larger talented signings. We will see where Vancouver decided to put this money, but at the end of the day it is also a nice bragging piece for the club as well.
Major League Soccer
There is a blueprint into developing the league in a different direction! With the sales of Ballou Table, Matt Miazga, Jozy Altidore, and now especially Alphonso Davies, the world knows that MLS can produce European quality talent! MLS needs to build upon this. Put a focus on the start talent coming out of academy systems that we have such as; Kellyn Acosta, Reggie Cannon, Aaron Long, Tyler Adams, Andrew Carleton, Miles Robinson, and others! With the play of these talented youngsters as well as their hopeful sales, MLS can have money coming into the league like they have never seen before! MLS needs to embrace this idea instead of rejecting it.
Canadian Soccer
With the sales of two talented Canadian teenagers to big time brands as well as the development of the Canadian Premier League in 2019… BUY BUY BUY on Canadian soccer. Our friends up north are only going to be getting better at the game and develop more talented players as the years progress. I commend the “soccer revolution” in Canada right now and fully support what they are doing!
