American teenager and Kansas City defender Erik Palmer-Brown is close to joining Juventus on a permanent basis following a year of negotiations.
Palmer-Brown became the youngest defender at 17 years old to start a game in Major League Soccer history last May. But Juventus had first approached Kansas a few months earlier.
Kansas rejected multiple offers before arriving at the current agreement, according to MLSsoccer.com. A fee is involved and it’s reported to be a figure over $1 million.
“I’d say it’s an 80-20 thing that it will happen,” Sporting KC CEO Robb Heineman told the Kansas City Star. “I think they’re interested. I think the player is interested in going there.”
The three-time Italian champions could send Palmer-Brown back to MLS on loan in order to get more significant playing time.
“Since it’s a dream growing up, it is something that I [would] welcome,” Palmer-Brown said. “But I have to focus on what’s now — improving myself to get better now.”
Palmer-Brown had season-ending surgery in 2014 after suffering a stress fracture in his right foot. He is expected to play in the U-20 World Cup with the United States.
