Sam Vines’ transfer to Royal Antwerp FC in Belgium finalized – The Denver Post

Sam Vines’ long-anticipated transfer to Royal Antwerp FC became official Thursday morning.

Reports of the Rapids defender’s move to Europe surfaced three weeks ago, but the transfer agreement with the Belgian side wasn’t announced until Thursday.

“Sam has proven himself to be one of the top young players in MLS and this is the right moment for both him and the club to take this step,” Rapids general manager Pádraig Smith said in a news release.

“His career progression and success at both club and international level is a testament to the investment our club has made in developing young talent and our ‘Drive to Youth’ philosophy.  This philosophy is the foundation on which we will continue our march to consistently compete for trophies and we believe Sam’s journey can be a positive example for the next generation of young players in Colorado.  We are incredibly proud of Sam and the player he has developed into, both with our club and with the U.S. Men’s National Team and wish him all the best.”

The 22-year-old Colorado Springs native ends his time with the Rapids having appeared in 53 matches since his MLS debut on Oct. 21, 2018, notching two goals and four assists.

One of several homegrown talents in the Rapids system, he leaves to join the oldest club in Belgium. Royal Antwerp plays in the Belgian First Division A and the club finished second in its division in 2020, qualifying for the UEFA Europa League.

Vines recently became the first Rapids Academy product to be named to a United States Men’s National Team roster for a senior tournament when he joined the side for the CONCACAF Gold Cup. He scored his first USMNT goal in a 1-0 win over Haiti in group play, and the team eventually won the competition with a 1-0 victory over Mexico last Sunday.

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