Lucas Herrington’s move to Hull City completes rapid rise as Colorado cashes in

The Colorado Rapids knew they had a special player long before Australian center back Lucas Herrington even arrived at the club to take part in his first training session.

Herrington first made his senior debut at 17 in December 2024 for Brisbane Roar, and the Rapids began scouting him intently. By the following spring, a deal was struck for Herrington to join the Rapids the following winter, after he turned 18.

Between signing Herrington in May and his arrival in January, the club could have turned a profit on a transfer to Europe, sources briefed on the situation say, with clubs calling.

“Our guys did a great job of jumping on this opportunity quickly, producing the type of intel we needed to see and made the recommendation that we couldn’t wait, we needed to jump on,” Rapids president Pádraig Smith told The Athletic. 

Twenty appearances and less than seven months after his MLS debut, Herrington is on the move again, now to Hull City in an historic deal worth up to $23 million, sources say, easily a club record for Colorado and one of the most expensive deals in MLS history.

An athletic, ball-playing center back, Herrington’s quality and potential were quickly apparent this year. Over the last seven months, Herrington made his senior national team debut and featured at a World Cup.

Herrington, who turns 19 in September, is one of the players Hull City has invested in as they prepare for a return to the Premier League.

“There’s no doubt it’s a big step but he has the talent, and more importantly, the mentality and character to adapt to that level,” Smith said. “I think his ceiling is huge. He can play at the very highest level. He will prove MLS players are ready to take that step.”

Herrington won a starting spot immediately for the Rapids and continued his impressive performances from Brisbane in Colorado straight away. He was firmly on the radar of clubs abroad and it was only a matter of time before interest turned to bids.

“It became clear very quickly in Lucas’ time here at the club, he was going to be an in-demand player for some of the biggest clubs and leagues in the world,” Smith said.

Barcelona came to scout him in person this spring and made an official bid before the World Cup. Sources say the offer was worth around $7 million, which the Rapids quickly rejected. Liverpool was among the many clubs that sent scouts as well.

Given Herrington had just signed half a season prior, Colorado would have loved to keep him a bit longer. There was no pressure to sell until the money became staggering.

“Hull came in with an aggressive position and we got to a level we felt was appropriate for a player not only for Lucas’ potential, but what he’s performing at right now,” Smith said. “I think you see that in the commitment Hull has made.”

In the spring, with interest swirling but no bids yet, the Rapids reached out to Brisbane, who held a 20% sell-on clause in Herrington. Colorado offered to buy out that clause for cash now, which the Roar needed. The Rapids bought it for just under $400,000.

Twenty percent of this transfer would have been worth around an initial $3.4 million. Following backlash, Brisbane publicly defended their decision in June.

The Rapids have moved on the likes of Djordje Mihailovic (Toronto FC, $8 million), Moise Bombito (OGC Nice, $7.7 million), Auston Trusty (Arsenal, $3 million) and more in recent seasons.

Herrington’s fee doubles that of their second-highest departure. Herrington is a gem, no doubt, but failing to capitalize on his value wouldn’t just be disappointing for the club, but the league as a whole.

“It’s a milestone for us as a club but also for us as a league,” Smith said. “It’s really important we’re starting to see activity from MLS clubs in the global transfer market that is comparable to what was previously seen as ‘bigger leagues’. This deal showcases MLS for what it is: A top-tier league globally (that) produces young talent that can go into top leagues and play right from the get go.”

As the deal for Herrington became more of a reality than early conversations, Colorado began working to make full use of the funds, which will soon be received, and invest them back into the team.

“This opportunity is not one we will let slip by,” Smith said succinctly.

Colorado has had plenty of good moments this year under former Spurs assistant Matt Wells, with his possession-dominant style, but it hasn’t always translated to points. The club had more of a transition style in recent years, so overturning the roster to one that uses the ball more was going to take more than one transfer window.

Paxten Aaronson arrived last summer following the departure of Mihailovic, followed by a number of key players this winter like Hamzat Ojediran, Dante Sealy, Georgi Minoungou and Loic Williams. Williams played three times with Herrington but is now a new defensive anchor, with first-choice partner Rob Holding.

It’s the attack the club is focused on, especially with Williams already settled into the team. Colorado is fifth in MLS in average possession, but 17th in goals (27) and 25th in xG (24).

The Rapids can add another designated player and seem likely to do so, but may also continue making changes beyond Herrington if necessary to improve the overall group as they remake the squad.

“This is an incredible opportunity for us to be bold,” Smith said. “Being bold, sometimes that means making tough decisions. This gives us the chance to add to the group that is unprecedented. We have clear plans.”