Joe Scally is set to join the ever-growing list of young Americans moving to Germany to develop their talents.

NYCFC announced Wednesday they have reached an agreement to transfer Scally to Bundesliga side Borussia Monchengladbach. Scally will remain with NYCFC through the 2020 MLS season, and will move to Gladbach officially in January of 2021, when he is 18 years old and eligible to move to Europe.

Sources have confirmed to SBI that the transfer fee is an initial $2 million, and could could increase to $7 million, which would be one of the highest transfer fees received for an MLS player (the fee was first reported by ESPN). NYCFC will also receive a sell-on percentage if Scally is sold in the future by Gladbach.

“I was very excited when I heard the news about the transfer to Borussia Monchengladbach,” Scalley said. “As a kid you always want to play in Europe and in one of the best leagues in the world. I couldn’t be happier.

“Looking towards next season, I hope to play a lot of minutes and help out the team as much as I can as we look to achieve our goals. It’s always the same for us, to finish first in the league and win MLS Cup.”

Scally is the first NYCFC Academy player to be sold to a European club, but the second to move to Germany after Giovanni Reyna left the NYCFC academy to join Borussia Dortmund. After signing a Homegrown contract with NYCFC in March 2018, Scally made his professional debut in the 2018 U.S. Open Cup fourth round match against rivals New York Red Bulls.

The defender also helped the NYCFC Academy win the 2017 Generation adidas Cup and the 2018 U.S. Soccer Development Academy National Championship at the youth ranks. Internationally, Scally has made 19 appearances for the U.S. Under-17 Men’s National Team, recently appearing three times in the 2019 FIFA U-17 World Cup.

“It’s very exciting for Joe to move to the Bundesliga with Borussia Monchengladbach and play in one of the best leagues in the world,” NYCFC sporting director Claudio Reyna said. “He’ll remain with us for the 2020 season, but during that time he’ll be able to go over to Germany and begin adapting to those surroundings, so when he goes in January 2021, he is able to hit the ground running.

“He’s still 16 years old, so he has a lot of growth and development still to come. He works extremely hard, is very competitive, strives to get better and is a winner,:” Reyna said. “Joe is one of our own. I think this move inspires the future players coming through the Academy that they can become a professional here and be just like Joe, James [Sands] or Justin [Haak].”