Sydney FC teenage midfielder Akol Akon, 17, has agreed to a transfer worth up to $2.5 million to Major League Soccer side Colorado Rapids, with the move to the United States set to go ahead once he turns 18. Akon will play out his final A-League season with Sydney FC before departing, starting with Friday's derby against the Western Sydney Wanderers.
Akol Akon, one of Australian football's most promising young talents, has agreed to a transfer worth up to $2.5 million to Major League Soccer club Colorado Rapids, the same team that helped turn Socceroo Lucas Herrington into a $33 million Premier League player.
The 17-year-old will remain with Sydney FC for the coming season, in part because FIFA rules generally prohibit international transfers for players before they turn 18. Akon turns 18 in May, after which he is expected to make the move to the United States.
Last season he became the youngest player ever to appear in an A-League grand final, and he has already represented Australia's under-23 Olyroos despite being nearly six years below the age cut-off. On Friday he will start his final season for Sydney FC in a derby against the Western Sydney Wanderers, the club where he spent his junior years before moving to their crosstown rivals.
Asked whether he has found it difficult to juggle the attention and expectation, Akon shrugged off the pressure. "Not really, aye," he said. "I kind of don't really focus on anything, more just where I am presently. I just let everything fly by. I've always been like that. I don't let things come to my head. I just do what I can, be me, and whatever comes, comes."
The relaxed outlook belies the scale of the move. Akon will be one of the A-League's top attractions between now and his departure next year, with the spotlight firmly fixed on him as he prepares to take his career to the other side of the planet.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- Akon's transfer is a significant payday for Sydney FC and a signal that the A-League continues to produce exportable talent, with Colorado Rapids previously helping Lucas Herrington secure a $33 million Premier League move.
- The deal gives Australian football a young player on a high-profile international pathway at a time when the men's national team is leaning on emerging talent.
- FIFA's age restriction ensures Akon remains in the A-League for another season, keeping him in the domestic competition's spotlight and giving Sydney FC a marquee attraction.
Background
Akol Akon is a 17-year-old Australian footballer who came through the junior ranks at Western Sydney Wanderers before joining cross-town club Sydney FC. He made history last season as the youngest player to appear in an A-League grand final and has represented the Olyroos, Australia's under-23 team, while still well below the age cut-off. International football transfers for minors are generally restricted under FIFA rules, which is why the move to Colorado Rapids will not happen until after he turns 18 in May.
Key Perspectives
Akol Akon: The teenager is focused on the present rather than the move abroad, saying he lets things "fly by" and does not let distractions get to his head as he prepares for his final A-League season.
Sydney FC: The club retains a player who will be one of the A-League's top attractions this season and stands to benefit from a transfer worth up to $2.5 million.
Colorado Rapids: The MLS club is investing in a young talent it believes can follow a similar path to Lucas Herrington, whose development at the club led to a Premier League move worth $33 million.
Western Sydney Wanderers: The club is on the other side of the equation, having let Akon slip through its fingers in his junior years to its crosstown rival, and now faces him in Friday's derby.
What to Watch
- Whether Akon's performances this A-League season raise the value of the deal or attract further attention before the move is completed.
- Friday's Sydney derby against the Western Sydney Wanderers, where Akon will begin his final domestic campaign.
- How Akon adapts to MLS when he arrives in the US after turning 18 in May.