Columbus Crew midfielder Aidan Morris set for transfer to England

A fee has already been agreed for the two-time MLS Cup winner. Morris has left the USMNT U23 training camp to complete the deal.

William GittinsWillGittUpdate: Jun 12th, 2024 14:22 EDT0

Adam CairnsUSA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con

Columbus Crew are set to lose a key piece of their MLS Cup-winning squad, agreeing a deal to sell Aidan Morris to English Championship side Middlesbrough.

The 22-year-old made his professional debut with the Crew in 2020 and has gone on to become a mainstay in the midfield, helping the team to MLS Cup triumphs in 2020 and again in 2023. The Athletic reports that Morris will fetch a fee of around $4 million, with a sell-on clause also included in the deal.

HAVE AN ABSOLUTE HIT 🚀#Crew96 ✘ @AidanZMorris pic.twitter.com/QnTeg6kDeS

— The Crew (@ColumbusCrew) April 7, 2024

A $4 million transfer fee would make Morris the second-biggest outgoing transfer in Crew history, behind only the sale of goalkeeper Zack Steffen to Manchester City. Morris has already made five appearances for the senior United States national side and has previously captained the U-23 team.

What are Middlesbrough getting with Aidan Morris?

Still only 22, Aidan Morris has managed to fit a lot into his professional career. After making his debut in the title-winning 2020 team – becoming the youngest player to feature in MLS Cup – Morris suffered a serious anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury early in the following season.

That injury forced him to miss the entirety of the Crew’s 2021 season and robbed him of the chance to defend the title. In an interview with AS USA ahead of the 2024 season, Morris revealed that he was grateful to have experienced that loss so early in his career.