The Colorado Rapids have brought in U.S. men’s national team midfielder Paxten Aaronson from Germany’s Eintracht Frankfurt on a five-year deal that runs through 2030.
The Rapids announced the deal Thursday, saying the fee was a club record. ESPN previously reported that the deal was worth up to €7 million ($8m), surpassing the €4.5m ($5.2m) fee the Rapids paid for Brazil striker Rafael Navarro.
Aaronson will take a designated player slot on Colorado’s roster.
It’s a big addition for the Rapids, who are currently in seventh place in the Western Conference.
Aaronson, who turns 22 next Tuesday, spent the 2024-25 season on loan at FC Utrecht in the Netherlands’ Eredivisie. He had nine goals and six assists in 37 league games.
“He has proven himself in Europe, gained valuable experience on the international stage with the U.S. Men’s National Team, and brings a dynamic, creative presence to our midfield,” Rapids president Pádraig Smith said in a statement. “He is the exact type of young, hungry player we want to build around at this club, and we are delighted to welcome him to Colorado as we strengthen a team capable of competing at the highest level.”
Aaronson was a member of the U.S. team that captured the 2023-24 Concacaf Nations League and made it to the final of the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup. He also was with the squad at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
He joined Eintracht Frankfurt in 2023, and trained with the team this summer.
“Paxten has demonstrated his potential both in pre-season and in his appearances for us,” Timmo Hardung, the sporting director for Eintracht Frankfurt, said in a statement. “With a view to the 2026 World Cup, which is taking place in his home country, among others, he made the request to take his next step at the Colorado Rapids. We wish Paxten all the best and lots of success for his future.”
Before Eintracht, he played for the Philadelphia Union, the team where he launched his professional career by signing a homegrown-player contract in August 2020.
Also on Thursday, the final day of MLS’ secondary transfer window, former USMNT defender DeAndre Yedlin joined Real Salt Lake from FC Cincinnati in a trade worth in exchange for $304,700 in 2025 general allocation money.
The 32-year-old, who has 81 caps with the U.S., previously played with Inter Miami and in Europe with Tottenham Hotspur, Sunderland, Newcastle United and Galatasaray
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
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