The Colorado Rapids reached a deal Wednesday to send defender Lucas Herrington to Hull City, with the club characterizing the transaction as a record transfer fee — not only for the Rapids but for any MLS defender. A specific dollar amount was not officially confirmed, though media reports on Wednesday put the base figure at $17 million, with incentive clauses capable of raising the total to $23 million.
Herrington, who suited up for Australia during the recent World Cup, arrived at Colorado at the start of the 2026 season and appeared in every one of the club's 18 games, starting all but a single match. He earned a place in the record books as the fourth-youngest player to ever start the MLS All-Star Game. He also carried the distinction of being the youngest active MLS player to take the field in a FIFA World Cup match.
Rapids President Pádraig Smith used the occasion to speak to both the player and the organization's direction. "Lucas is a special talent whose elite mentality and character match his outstanding ability on the field," Smith said in a news release. Smith identified recruiting and developing top young talent — locally, nationally, and internationally — as "a key part of our club strategy."
Herrington offered his own account of what the move to Colorado had meant. "When I landed in Colorado in January, I had left Australia for the first time to come across the world and chase a dream," he said, crediting the Rapids and their supporters for welcoming him from the start.
The transfer marks the sixth time in as many seasons that a Rapids player has moved on to a club in Europe. The full contractual terms of the agreement had not been publicly released as of Wednesday, and it remained unclear when Herrington would formally begin duties with Hull City.