The Colorado Rapids have reinforced their shielding ranks with the signing of Aboubacar Keita from the Columbus Crew.
Colorado can pay an initial $300k in General Allocation Money (GAM) for Keita's offerings, with the Crew receiving a further $150k GAM need to the middle-returned meet certain overall performance standards throughout the 2022 MLS season.
“Bouba is a younger, athletic participant who's snug at the ball and has all of the attributes to end up a physically dominant defender,” Colorado Rapids executive vp and general manager Pádraig Smith said in an reliable club press release.
“We are devoted to focused on the first-rate younger players within the home market, and in Keita, we consider we have acquired a participant with enormous upside who's most effective starting to scratch the floor of his potential.”
Born in New York, Keita is the fabricated from the Columbus Crew academy, signing a homegrown cope with the Ohio club in 2019. The 21-12 months-old has 42 senior appearances for Columbus below his belt, along with 12 in 2020 because the Crew received MLS Cup. Keita has been capped eight instances for the United States at U-20 degree.
“From the time he joined the Academy in 2016 to helping us seize MLS Cup in 2020 and the Campeones Cup closing September, Bouba’s tough work and determination on and stale the sphere has been simply appreciated. We desire him all of the satisfactory in Colorado,” said Crew president and wellknown supervisor Tim Bezbatchenko.
Keita will join Lalas Abubakar, Danny Wilson, and Auston Trusty on one of the most powerful center-back line-u.S.In MLS proper now.
During the 2021 season, the Rapids conceded just 35 desires within the everyday season as they finished top of the Western Conference - best the Seattle Sounders, New York Red Bulls, and Nashville SC allowed fewer (all 33).
Colorado begin their 2022 campaign away at Los Angeles FC on February 26.
