Roar's Herrington makes record Rapids switch
Teenage defender Lucas Herrington will soon join Australian football's overseas wave after Brisbane confirmed a January move to MLS side Colorado Rapids for what it says will be a club-record fee.
Lucas Herrington is set to join the growing number of youngsters trading in the A-League Men for overseas, with the teenage defender to make a January switch from Brisbane Roar to MLS side the Colorado Rapids for what the Queensland outfit says is a club-record fee.
While the MLS transfer will remain open until August 21 – 20-year-old Adelaide United striker Archie Goodwin, who the Reds confirmed was departing on Wednesday evening, is reported to be off to Charlotte FC for $USD 2m – the Roar confirmed previous reports on Thursday morning that while Herrington is on the move, they will retain his services until the new year.
The American top-flight is yet to release the dates of its transfer windows for 2026, but opened its January window on the 31st in 2025.
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Turning 18 years old last month, Herrington experienced a breakout campaign in what was an otherwise disappointing season for the Roar in 2024-25, starting 15 of his 17 appearances and earning his club’s young player of the year honours. In addition, the youngster was a part of the Young Socceroos outfit that won its first-ever Asian crown, after previously representing the Joeys at an international level.
The defender having signed a three-year scholarship deal with the Roar ahead of the 2024-25, the fee that the Rapids paid for Herrington was undisclosed but represented what the club declared to be a high-water mark — the MLS outfit having had to fight off interest from interested European clubs to ensure his capture.
The Queenslanders previously sold teenage striker Thomas Waddingham to English outfit Portsmouth for what was reported as being a $AUD 395,000 fee, and transferred Matilda Sharn Freier to German outfit VfL Wolfsburg for a club-record women’s fee.
“I am so grateful to the Brisbane Roar for giving me the opportunity to start my professional football journey by playing for this great club,” Herrington said. “I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at the club, and to have come through the Academy from U13s makes it even more special.
“Over the past seven years, I have met some amazing people, from management to coaches to players and, of course, the fans. “I am very proud to have represented the club I have been supporting since I was a kid.”
The Rapids, who play out of Dick's Sporting Goods Park in Denver, the site of the Socceroos friendly against the USMNT in October, currently sit eighth in the MLS’ Western Conference, a point back of Austin in the hunt for a playoff place and two points clear of Real Salt Lake in a play-in position.
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Herrington’s departure, meanwhile, leaves Hosine Bility, Marcus Ferkranus, Ben Warland, and Dimitri Valkanis, the son of coach Michael Valkanis and newly arrived on loan from Greek powers AEK Athens, as centreback depth at the Roar.
“At Brisbane Roar, we’re dedicated to identifying quality young Queensland talent and developing them into future stars, and this transfer is an example of just that,” Michael Valkanis said.
“We couldn’t be prouder of Lucas and look forward to seeing what he achieves in the MLS.
“But for now, our focus is on hitting the ground running for the 25/26 season, and he will play a big part in that until his departure in January.”