MLS: Why Alphonso Davies must be the target
On Monday, Alphonso Davies signed a new long-term contract with Bayern Munich. His career trajectory should be the aim of all MLS clubs who are keen to develop young players and reap the rewards.
Major League Soccer always resisted becoming a selling league. They felt it was a sign of weakness, and given that almost all other major North American sports are entirely insular, it felt weird ceding to a more globalised system.
Listen to the latest episode of the MLS Multiplex podcast here! — What happens with COVID-19?
‘Why lose your best players to other leagues?’ was often the question asked. MLS was meant to be a league of destination, a league that players want to join, play in, and commit to, not leave. However, as has become increasingly, the need to partake in the global market is undeniable.
“We need to be more of a selling league,” MLS Commissioner Don Garber said plainly in his State of the League address on the eve of the 2018 MLS Cup final.
More from MLS Multiplex
- Javier Milei Elected in Argentina: Potential Impacts on MLS and Signings of Argentine Players
- Orlando City and New York City FC in the Battle for Matías Arezo; Grêmio Enters Negotiations! Who Will Come Out on Top?
- USA, Honduras, Panama, and Canada Close in on a Spot in the 2024 Copa America
- De Gea Turns Down Al-Nassr’s Lucrative Offer: Speculation Points to Possible Reunion with Messi at Inter Miami
- Messi’s Magnetic Impact in the United States
The shift in emphasis was almost a 180-degree reversal on what the league had previously protested and stood by. Garber was admitting that he and his teams needed to catch up with the sport and abandon their American obsession of being the best.
One of the chief success stories of this shift in focus is Alphonso Davies. Davies was sold to Bayern Munich from the Vancouver Whitecaps after the 2018 season for $22 million. Garber himself commented on the sale and value that it provides.
“When I see Alphonso Davies get sold for what could be $22 million, that’s a positive thing for the league,” he said. “[Whitecaps owner] Greg Kerfoot and his club need to use that money to bring somebody in that’s going to be as exciting as Alphonso. That’s what happens around the world. That’s what our teams are going to need to do”
Since his departure, Davies has gone from strength to strength. He has emerged as Bayern’s starting left-back, making 31 appearances in all competitions this season despite still only being 19. He has one goal and eight assists to his name and is quickly proving to be one of the brightest young prospects in world football, sliding into an offensive left-back role that is ideal for his rangy, athletic style.
This week, Bayern rewarded Davies for his excellent performances, tying him down to a long-term deal that extends through to the end of the 2024/25 season.
“Alphonso has developed very well at FC Bayern and has earned this contract extension with his impressive performances,” Bayern’s chief executive, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge told the club website. “We are happy that he will remain with FC Bayern in the long term. He delights our fans not only with the way he plays, but also with the way he is off the pitch.”
Davies is one of the key success stories of the homegrown development that MLS clubs can provide. He played for the Edmonton Internationals and Edmonton Strikers before moving into the Vancouver youth system at 15. He was then accelerated into the Vancouver Whitecaps 2 team, playing a full USL season at just 16.
Two more years in Vancouver, starting regularly in MLS, helped cement his place as one of the brightest young talents in world football. Bayern Munich came calling and Davies moved on. Vancouver made a substantial profit. They then invested in their first team with the likes of Lucas Cavallini, Ali Adnan, and Hwang In-beom all arriving in DP deals since Davies’ departure.
This the process that Garber references. The New York Red Bulls conducted a similar success story with Tyler Adams. FC Dallas would have done so with Weston McKennie but will hope to remedy their wrongs with Reggie Cannon, Paxton Pomykal and others in the coming years.
dark. Next. USMNT: Top 3 wingers for World Cup qualifying
Davies, then, is the target: scout locally, acquire young talent, invest in their potential, and then sell them on for outrageous profit. Vancouver, the Red Bulls, Dallas are beginning to master this process. It is now time for the rest of the league to catch up.