Club Brugge closing on $7m deal for NE Revs' Tajon Buchanan
By Chris Smith
Tajon Buchanan is set to become the latest Canadian youngster to leave MLS for Europe, with Club Brugge on the verge of acquiring his signature.
The likes of Cyle Larin and Alphonso Davies have enjoyed huge success since leaving North America, lifting league titles with Besiktas and Bayern Munich, respectively, while the latter won the treble in 2020.
And after a stellar perforamnce for Canada at the Concacaf Gold Cup, where he won the Young Player Award and made the tournament Best XI, it looks like Buchanan is about to join his compatriots across the Atlantic.
According to MLSsoccer.com's Tom Bogert, Club Brugge have agreed a deal "in principle" with New England Revolution to an initial value of $7m, while two Bundesliga sides - one of which is thought to be Augsburg - remain in the mix.
The deal would see Buchanan loaned back to the Revs for the remainder of the 2021 season, with Bruce Arena's men currently top of the Supporters' Shield standings after just three defeats in18 games.
Club Brugge and the New England Revolution have agreed in principle for a deal around $7m for Tajon Buchanan, I’m told. Would have a loan back to NE for the season ?? ??
— Tom Bogert (@tombogert) August 5, 2021
The deal is NOT done yet. No agreement on personal terms w/ Buchanan. Two Bundesliga clubs still in the race
22-year-old Buchanan is an incredibly versatile player, featuring mostly as a winger but experiencing a real breakout with the Revs as a right-back during last season's MLS Cup playoffs, where New England reached the Eastern Conference final before falling to a 1-0 defeat against Columbus Crew.
Buchanan also lined up at right-wing-back for Canada at this summer's Gold Cup, helping John Herdman's side to a semi-final - their first appearance at that stage of the tournament since 2007. The Ontario-born youngster scored his first-ever international goal against Mexico in that semi-final as Canada pushed El Tri to the brink, only crashing out thanks to a 99th-minute Hector Herrera winner.
At club level, Buchanan has six goals and nine assists in 52 senior club appearances, including three and four, respectively, in 14 outings this season.