The Bundesliga powerhouse says the 17-year-old Ghana-born Davies will join on Jan. 1, 2019 and that his contract will run through June 2023. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko, file)
MUNICH (AP) — Bayern Munich has agreed to sign Canadian teenage forward Alphonso Davies from the Vancouver Whitecaps in a transfer worth up to $22 million (18.75 million euros), a record for a Major League Soccer player.
The Bundesliga champion says the 17-year-old Davies, a naturalized Canadian born in Ghana, will join on Jan. 1 and his contract will run through June 2023. He turns 18 in November.
Bayern sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic says, “He offers a lot of promise for the future. Alphonso already possesses great ability, which is why a lot of top clubs were keen on him.”
The Whitecaps said in a statement the deal includes a transfer fee and additional compensation that could total more than $22 million, the most received by an MLS club in the league’s 23-year history.
Davies scored three goals for Canada in the 2016 CONCACAF Gold Cup.