TRANSFER TRACKER STATUS:Re-signed
The Colorado Rapids announced Wednesday that they have agreed to three-year contract extensions with a trio of players: midfielder Kellyn Acosta, forward Diego Rubio and defender Keegan Rosenberry. Acosta's contract starts in 2019 and also has club options for 2022 and 2023, while the extensions for Rubio and Rosenberry start in 2020 and run through the 2022 season.
MLSsoccer.com's Sam Stejskal reported the news of Acosta's contract extension on Tuesday, while also noting that the Rapids were close to deals for two other players.
All three players are recent arrivals to the club. Acosta came in July via trade with FC Dallas, while Rosenberry and Rubio were both acquired in offseason deals with Philadelphia and Sporting KC, respectively.
“We are pleased to announce contract extensions for these three key players,” said Rapids Executive Vice President & General Manager, Padraig Smith in a team statement. “We targeted these players over the past 12 months and in Kellyn, Keegan and Diego we have players who have a demonstrated track record of production in MLS and who fit our style of play perfectly. As they enter their prime we believe they will be key contributors for us in the coming years. These deals demonstrate our club’s commitment to investing in talented young players and building a strong core, and highlight the confidence that these players have in our future.”
Acosta, 23, scored two goals in 12 appearances after making the move to Colorado last summer. The FC Dallas academy product spent the first five-and-a-half years of his career with his hometown club, where he worked his way into the US national team picture. He currently has 23 caps for the senior national team.
Rubio, 25, is coming off a supremely efficient scoring season in 2018 at 0.92 goals per 90 minutes, albeit in limited time. In total, the Chilean forward registered eight goals and six assists across 781 minutes with Sporting, his third season in MLS.
Rosenberry, 25, is in his fourth MLS season after being selected third overall by Philadelphia in the 2016 MLS SuperDraft. He bounced back from a sophomore slump to play every single minute for the Union in 2018 and figures to be the Rapids' first-choice right back in 2019.
