It doesn’t look as though Kellyn Acosta will be leaving MLS this summer.
The FC Dallas and US national team midfielder has been the subject of transfer rumors in recent months, reportedly drawing the attention of German club Schalke and Belgian side Anderlecht in April. But FC Dallas president Dan Hunt told MLSsoccer.com on Monday that the club has not received any formal offers for Acosta this summer.
Barring a big offer coming their way before the European transfer window closes in the next couple of weeks, the FCD academy product will remain with his hometown club at least through the end of the current campaign.
“We have not received any formal offers,” Hunt said. “You hear rumors, but we hear rumors about a number of our players all the time. No club has submitted an offer for him. We continue to hear the rumors, and I guarantee everyone’s probably heard as many as we have, and we’ll address this in the offseason when the time is right.”
“It would probably be fair to say [that he’ll stay through the season],” he added.
The 22-year-old caused a minor stir on July 30 when he told MLSsoccer.com that, if he were to move to Europe, he’d prefer to be transferred this summer as opposed to moving next January.
“Any window is a possibility,” he said ahead of the MLS All-Star Game. “Ideally if I were to move, I would want to move during this window because this is the preseason for them rather than the winter when I’m winding down my season as well as jumping in the middle of their season. So I mean, ideally, now would be the time, but when the time comes, the time comes.”
Acosta, who signed with FC Dallas in July 2012 at the age of 16, has played a major role for the club over the last two seasons. He recorded two goals and five assists in 32 regular season appearances to help FCD win the Supporters’ Shield and US Open Cup in 2016 and has three goals and two assists in 15 MLS matches this season.
The Plano, Texas native has also become a large part of the US national team this year, going the full 90 in the USA’s 1-1 draw at Mexico in World Cup qualifying action in June and playing in five of the team’s six matches en route to the Gold Cup title in July.
If FC Dallas make a run to their first MLS Cup appearance since 2010 this fall, Acosta will no doubt play a large role. Hunt said as much on Monday, but also acknowledged that the central midfielder – who is under contract with FCD through 2019 – will continue to be the object of transfer interest.
“Kellyn is a player who’s garnered global interest,” he said. “We’re proud of him. He’s definitely one of the favorite sons of this club, as all of our Homegrowns are, frankly.
"This is a young man that we’ve watched grow up here. We want Kellyn to be successful, but summer transfer windows are very difficult on teams, so I think that would be hard for this club to deal with, especially because we are looking to win a championship here this year and he’s a key piece for that.”
