Former Wellington Phoenix academy player Calvin Harris has landed a contract with United States MLS club Colorado Rapids.
Harris (22) has transferred to the Major League Soccer franchise from FC Cincinnati in exchange for $100,000 in 2023 General Allocation Money (GAM) and $100,000 in 2024 GAM.
Further fees of up to $175,000 will be due if Harris reaches multiple performance metrics, the club has announced.
Cincinnati also retains a percentage of any future transfer fee if Harris is sold or traded by the Rapids.
Main photo: Calvin Harris … moves from Ohio to Colorado. Photo: FC Cincinnati.
Striker Harris joins the Rapids after two seasons with Cincinnati, for whom he made 26 appearances, scoring twice, after being the second overall pick in the 2021 MLS SuperDraft. He also scored three goals in six appearances for the Cincinnati second-string side last year.
Harris spent four years with the Phoenix as a teenager
England-born Harris was living in Hong Kong when he was talent scouted by the Wellington Phoenix as a 14-year-old.
He spent four years on a scholarship with the Phoenix youth academy between 2014 and 2018, playing for the Phoenix reserves in his last season there.
When he was not offered a Phoenix contract — he would have been regarded as an import — he went to the United States where he played college football for Wake Forest University where he was named in the ACC All-Freshman Team in 2019.
Former Western Springs and New Zealand U-23 coach Neil Emblen is an assistant coach at Colorado Rapids, having moved there when former All Whites coach Anthony Hudson was their head coach.
Announcing Harris’ arrival at the Rapids, Pádraig Smith, Colorado Rapids Executive VP & General Manager, said:
“Calvin is a versatile and dynamic forward who has only begun to scratch the surface of his potential.
“He’s a player we monitored closely ahead of the 2021 SuperDraft given his qualities and we’re excited to bring him into an environment where we believe he can develop and take the next step in his career.”
More football stories
