Colorado Rapids sign Irish midfielder Connor Ronan from Wolves

The Colorado Rapids have signed Irish midfielder Connor Ronan from English Premier League side Wolverhampton Wanderers, the club announced Monday.

Ronan has signed a four-year deal that keeps him at Dick's Sporting Goods Park through the 2026 MLS season.

“Connor is a highly technical and versatile midfielder who can play in both deep-lying and box-to-box midfield roles,” Pádraig Smith, Colorado Rapids' executive vice president and general manager, said in a club press release.

“He brings a high level of energy and ability to cover a lot of ground defensively, but also exceptional vision and passing qualities. We’re excited to add a player of his talent to our roster and look forward to welcoming him to Colorado.”

Ronan joins the Rapids following almost nine years with Wolves after coming through the club's youth system, while he managed 18 appearances across all competitions at senior level. The midfielder played twice for the Midlands club this season, once in the Premier League and once in the EFL Cup.

Now 24 years old, Ronan has plenty of experience during loan spells in England with Portsmouth, Walsall and Blackpool, in Europe with Grasshoppers (Switzerland) and FC DAC 1904 Dunajska Streda, and most recently in Scotland with St. Mirren.

Ronan started his international career with the England U17s before picking up caps across various youth levels for the Republic of Ireland.

The Rapids are looking to return to the MLS Cup Playoffs in 2023 after finishing 10th in the Western Conference last season.

Robin Fraser's side begin the new campaign away at the Seattle Sounders on February 26.