TRANSFER TRACKER STATUS: Signing
The Seattle Sounders have signed 15-year-old midfielder Danny Leyva to a Homegrown Player contract, the club announced Tuesday. He is the youngest Homegrown signing in club history.
Leyva has already been playing for the Sounders' USL squad, the Tacoma Defiance, where he became the division's second-youngest player to ever start a match. He also spent significant time training with the Sounders' first team during preseason, turning heads with a number of mature performances. He joined the club's academy in 2017.
"We are pleased to announce the signing of Danny Leyva, not only in the sense of adding a quality player to our roster, but as a marker of our commitment to youth development overall," general manager Garth Lagerwey said in a statement. "Danny has impressed us since entering our Academy a couple years ago and has only further proved himself over the past few months while playing with Tacoma Defiance and throughout Sounders FC's preseason. We are excited to continue his progress and see what he can bring as a member of our First Team."
The midfielder will turn 16 in May and is the 12th Homegrown signing in club history. Leyva has also represented the US youth national team at various levels. Travis Clark recently named him as one of the top 10 players to watch at the 2019 Generation adidas Cup.
"At this club we try to reward players that earn a roster spot within the group, and Danny Leyva is no exception," head coach Brian Schmetzer said. "If a player is good enough, regardless of age, we will give him a look. The coaching staff feels he is ready to participate in all First Team training, and if he continues to work and progress we will include him in games. I am very pleased with his overall commitment to the club, his training habits, and his ability to understand the concepts we are trying to implement this year."
