Never played in MLS
This article first appeared on Jan. 13 and has been updated after the deal was confirmed by both clubs.
It is one of the more remarkable stories of the winter transfer window. Major League Soccer expansion side Charlotte FC have sold 23-year-old Australian midfielder Riley McGree to Middlesbrough. While reports on Thursday suggested a fee of around $9 million, Charlotte FC sporting director Zoran Krneta told The Athletic that the fee is $4 million initially and could rise to $6 million once certain incentives are met. That would rank McGree just outside the top 10 most expensive outgoing transfers in MLS history (overview)
Source: Charlotte FC and Middlesbrough have just about finalized a deal for Australian int’l midfielder Riley McGree.
Deal with Celtic fell through, as has been reported. Can’t confirm final fee, but reports suggest upwards of £5-7m. Whatever it is, good business for Charlotte.
— Tom Bogert (@tombogert) January 13, 2022
The transfer also represents a significant profit for Charlotte FC. Transfermarkt understands that the MLS club paid about $500,000 to secure the player’s rights from Adelaide United in October 2020. Krneta confirmed the amount on Friday, telling The Athletic that Charlotte paid $590,000 for the Australian. At the time of buying the player, Charlotte was not scheduled to kickstart their first-ever season in MLS for over a year. As a result, McGree was loaned out to Birmingham City, scoring three goals and two assists in 30 Championship games.
Under normal circumstances, McGree was scheduled to return to the club this January and join the club’s preparation ahead of Charlotte’s inaugural season. But McGree has generated significant interest in the UK during his loan and was close to joining Scottish side Celtic before Middlesbrough came in with a significantly improved better offer for the 23-year-old, whose current market value is $660,000.
Alcívar, Mello, Ruiz & Co.: Charlotte FC record transfers
Charlotte FC: Knew McGree “was being tracked” – “Will invest transfer fee”
“We knew Riley was being tracked by a lot of clubs across Europe after his successful spell at Birmingham, and we finally fielded an offer that was too good to turn down,” Krneta said in a Charlotte FC club statement. “To sell a player for profit that has never played a game for your Club is a testament to our incredible scouting department who identified Riley as a player with a bright future. We will invest this transfer fee back into our inaugural roster as we continue to build towards the start of 2022.”
