D.C. United’s Kevin Paredes Signs with Bundesliga Club Wolfsburg

Kevin Paredes is heading to Germany…

Wolfsburg has signed the 18-year-old Dominican American professional soccer player from D.C. United for what the Major League Soccer team said was a $7.35 million transfer fee.

Kevin Paredes

The German club said Paredes signed a contract until the end of the 2025-26 season.

D.C. said the transfer fee is its record high for a sale. The deal includes additional money contingent on performance and a percentage of any future transfer fees.

“Despite his age he’s already gained some experience at first-team level, and as well as the left wing he can also play in the center,” Wolfsburg sporting director Marcel Schafer said. “In addition, he brings pace and dynamism, he’s very agile and nimble on the ball, covers a lot of ground on the pitch and has a really good mentality.”

Paredes came through the D.C. youth academy before making his professional debut as a 16-year-old for Loudoun United, the Washington-based club’s reserve team, in 2019.

The Virginia-born player returned to D.C. in 2020 and went on to make 41 appearances across all competitions, scoring three goals and setting up two more.

“Kevin’s rapid rise from our academy to a first-team starter is a testament to his desire, talent, and commitment,” D.C. president of soccer operations Dave Kasper said in a statement.

 

Paredes has two goals in five appearances for the United States under-16 team. He attended senior national team camp last month but injured his left ankle and left before the exhibition against Bosnia and Herzegovina.

 

https://twitter.com/VfLWolfsburg_EN/status/1487117451871596549

D.C. United’s Paul Arriola On Loan to Swansea City

Paul Arriola is heading across the pond

The 25-year-old Mexican American soccer player and D.C. United midfielder has joined U.S. teammate Jordan Morris on loan at Wales’ Swansea City, the Major League Soccer club has announced.

Paul Arriola

Arriola will spend the remainder of the 2020-21 season with the Championship club, who are currently second in the table as they seek a return to the Premier League next season.

There’s no option to buy in Arriola’s loan to Swansea.

“We have spoken with Paul and we understand how exciting this step is for him in his professional career,” Dave Kasper, D.C. United General Manager and VP of Soccer Operations, said. “We wish Paul the best of luck and look forward to him rejoining our club.”

The U.S. international, who scored two goals in the Americans’ 7-0 friendly win against Trinidad and Tobago on Sunday night, moved from Liga MX club Tijuana to D.C. on Aug. 9, 2017 and has scored 14 goals and added 13 assists in 72 appearances during his stint in MLS.

Arriola’s U.S. teammate and Seattle Sounders forward Morris, who left national team camp in January to complete his move to the Swans, made his first appearance for his new team as a substitute in a 3-1 win over Rotherham.

He was loaned to Swansea on January 22 for the second half of the English season, and the Swans have an option to purchase his rights.

Morris has 41 goals 23 assists in 121 appearances for the Sounders since signing with the club in 2016. He has 10 goals in 39 appearances for the U.S.

Arriola and Morris will try to help Swansea City back to the Premier League. The team is in second place in the English Championship with 50 points, having last played in England’s top flight in the 2017-18 season.