Just days after signing for Bayern Munich, 17-year-old Canadian starlet Alphonso Davies put in arguably the best performance of this MLS season.
Thursday morning, Bayern Munich made their first official move of the 2018 summer transfer window by signing Canadian wonderkid Alphonso Davies from Vancouver Whitecaps.
The 17-year-old has become an MLS sensation this season and was destined to join a big club. Bayern beat the competition, though, and secured a move for the youngster, whose contract with the Bavarians goes into action on January 1st.
Just two days after making his transfer to the Bavarian capital official, Davies gave perhaps the best performance of the 2018 MLS season.
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The Canadian scored two superb solo goals and further assisted two more as his side swept aside fellow mid-table club Minnesota United 4-2. (Highlights can be found here).
He set up the opening goal — although unwillingly, thanks to a good move from his teammate, Yordy Reyna — in the 35th minute. But it wasn’t until the second half that things really came to life.
In the 56th minute, after making an interception in his opponent’s half, Davies charged at the Minnesota defense, faked a shot and smoothly dribbled through a crowd of defenders before nutmegging the keeper to make it 2-0. Then, in the 64th minute, he led a counter-attack, doing most of the hard work before sliding a perfect pass for teammate Kei Kamara to fire home.
Davies put the icing on the cake in the 89th minute with the best goal of the game. Cutting in from the right, Davies coolly glided past three defenders before placing a pinpoint strike into the top right corner — a goal very reminiscent of Arjen Robben and one the Dutchman himself would have been proud of.
Many fans are no doubt still skeptical of Davies, despite his fantastic displays in North America. The US league, for all its merit, is far from being a top tier competition. Even the best players from MLS could struggle in Europe’s bigger and better leagues. For someone to take MLS by storm is one thing, but to do it at just 17-years-old is another.
No matter what league he’s playing in, Alphonso Davies is clearly talented. After finishing this MLS season with Vancouver Whitecaps, he’ll be in for a huge test with the Bayern Munich first team. But if last night’s performance is anything to go by, Davies is prepared to make the leap to a top club.