Photo by ISIPhotos.com
By DAN KARELL
Terrence Boyd is now officially moving back home to Germany.
After two strong seasons with Rapid Vienna, the club announced that the U.S. Men’s National Team forward has left the club’s training camp and is in the process of completing a transfer to recently promoted 2. Bundesliga side, RB Leipzig. Although the transfer amount wasn’t disclosed, the a statement on Rapid’s website said that they’ve “agreed a deal in principle” with RB Leipzig and that the Rapid board of directors have signed off on the deal.
A report last Saturday in German publication BILD stated that a fee of €1.5 million had been discussed between Rapid and RB Leipzig. Leipzig have yet to officially announce the signing, though a formal announcement is expected in the coming days.
“Terrence has recently greatly improved and scored lots of goals, but also his attitude is an important reason that we were able to complete the last season as league runners-up,” Rapid sporting director Andreas Müller said in a statement. “His contract with Rapid was set to run until next summer and in principle we would have liked to keep him long-term with us. He had be a very good offer of an early contract extension, in our opinion, but this he declined and expressed his wish to leave this summer. Since we are now able to agree with Leipzig on the transfer arrangements,we thank Terrence for his achievements and wish him every success on his new destination in his career.”
Boyd, who signed with Rapid in 2012 from Borussia Dortmund, played 80 games for the Austrian club, scoring 37 times, including five goals in the UEFA Europa League last season. Boyd was part of the USMNT’s 30-man preliminary World Cup roster but he was one of the seven players cut on May 22.
“I want to thank Rapid and numerous fans for two outstanding years,” Boyd said in a statement. “Unfortunately it did not work with a title win, though the time in this very special club was enormously important and beautiful for me.
“The decision I made was not easy for me because since I came here in the beginning, I have been very comfortable both at the club and in the city. For my career plans now seems to me the time to step up to a club with big ambitions to climb into one of the best leagues in the world. I express two thumbs up to Rapid in the future, and a part of my heart will always remain green and white.”
Only founded in 2009, RB Leipzig have rose through the ranks of German soccer thanks to the financial support of Red Bull, who of course also own the New York Red Bulls and Red Bull Salzburg. RB Leipzig finished as runners-up last season in the 3. Liga in Germany and were promoted to the second division as a reward.
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What do you think of this news? Do you expect to see Boyd play every week in the 2. Bundesliga? Think he can dominate and help take the club to the Bundesliga? How does this affect his USMNT status?
Share your thoughts below.