MLS Roundup: Richards completes move to Bayern, Kaku drama continues

Whether for marketing reasons or footballing ones, Bayern Munich and FC Dallas cemented a transfer that could begin a new pathway to Europe for MLS youngsters.

After spending the last seven months on loan with Bayern Munich’s academy, Bayern and FC Dallas made official the news that centerbach Chris Richards has completed a permanent transfer to the German giants. Goal.com reported two weeks ago that Bayern and MLS had agreed on a $1.5 million transfer fee for the 19-year-old American, with a 40 percent sell-on fee that would go back to FC Dallas.

God continues to bless me , happy to have signed a contract through 2023 here at bayern🙏🏽 I want to thank everybody who’s supported me throughout the years and helped me through my development. Only up from here 🍽 #packmas #teamwass #godstiming #ykn pic.twitter.com/k6TuTOv3aD

— chris richards (@eastmamba) January 24, 2019

[ VIDEO: Premier League highlights ]

News of the transfer is the latest in the meteoric rise of the Alabama native, who was once rejected from the FC Dallas academy as a 16-year-old. Two years later, including after beating FC Dallas with the Texans in Houston in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy playoffs, Dallas brought him back and quickly signed him as a Homegrown player. Richards has since also cemented his place with the U.S. Under-20 Men’s National Team, leading the U.S. to the CONCACAF U-20 Championship title last November. He’s in line to start at the 2009 Under-20 World Cup in Poland.

However, due to MLS rules, Richards never got a chance to play for the MLS first team. Instead, he and the club took advantage of a new partnership between FC Dallas and Bayern, and he reportedly impressed enough to make the deal permanent. Richards is the second player from MLS signed to Bayern in the past six months, after the club inked a transfer for Vancouver Whitecaps youngster Alphonso Davies.

Here’s more news from around MLS:

---

Kaku and his agent go public in bid to force move

Alejandro “Kaku” Romero wants to leave the New York Red Bulls. He wants to leave so bad that he and his agent have just blown up in the press.

Speaking to ESPN Deportes, Kaku, who only joined the Red Bulls one year ago, played a key role in the Red Bulls winning the MLS Supporters Shield title. However, after his short time in New Jersey, Kaku prefers a move to Club America. Unfortunately for him, the Red Bulls organization can’t agree with the Liga MX giants on a fee.

So Kaku finally spoke for himself. With the transfer deadline approaching, he is making no bones about his desire to leave RBNY for Club America. Doesn’t even couch his statements by entertaining a stay in NY.

For my Inglés only homies, the translation from his ESPN interview: pic.twitter.com/RWSuWWrqSK

— Dave Martinez (@DaveMartinezNY) January 24, 2019

While Kaku is a full participant in Red Bulls training during the preseason, his agent Gustavo Casasola compared what Kaku is going through with the Red Bulls to a quote from Dr. Martin Luther King.

Kaku's agent – Gustavo Casasola – went off, aired some dirty laundry, and even referenced Hitler and Maritn Luther King to boot, to explain why he and the player want to secure a move away from the New York Red Bulls to join Club America.#RBNY #MLS pic.twitter.com/pH28Yt3rh7

— Franco Panizo (@FrancoPanizo) January 24, 2019