Alejandro Granados, a Spanish youth national team midfielder, is close to signing with Club Brugge from Orlando City. Granados has just one minute of first-team action under his belt. Still, The Athletic reports that the agreement is worth roughly $2 million. In June, the 17-year-old player made his debut in MLS. He came on as […]
Alejandro Granados, a Spanish youth national team midfielder, is close to signing with Club Brugge from Orlando City. Granados has just one minute of first-team action under his belt. Still, The Athletic reports that the agreement is worth roughly $2 million.
In June, the 17-year-old player made his debut in MLS. He came on as a substitute in the final minute of Orlando’s 2-0 victory against the Colorado Rapids. Prior to this, he had emerged in Orlando’s second team in 2022 and accumulated 26 appearances in MLS Next Pro.
Granados signed an MLS NEXT Pro contract to continue playing for Orlando City B after the 2022 season. That marked the next stage in his development with the Club. After spending three years at the Academy, the youngster featured in the first-ever MLS NEXT All-Star Game last summer. In fact, he turned out to be quite instrumental in leading the U-17s to the 2021 MLS NEXT Cup Championship.
The rising star just returned from representing Spain in the U-17 European Championship. He played a key role in leading La Roja to the tournament’s Semi-Finals. He played in all five games of the competition. Additionally, he scored a goal in the Quarter-Finals against Ireland en route to a 3-0 shutout win. That earned Spain a berth in the U-17 World Cup later this year.
The teenager is Spanish-eligible despite being born and having spent his formative years in the United States. Spain’s U-17 coach Guerrero gave an interview in May. There, he explained why he called up Alejandro Granados for the European Championship.
“That’s how it is. The Federation is very attentive to these things and it is a case that we will see more and more. There are many kids who can play with Spain who, due to life circumstances, their parents going to live abroad, for studies or whatever, have to go abroad.
“And the Federation is doing a meticulous job trying to control the maximum number of players. In the case of Granados we have followed him a lot. In the US he has shown a great level and it was time to see him with the rest of the group.
“For a country to want a boy to play for them is to some extent normal. Each one wants the best for himself and that no great player escapes him. The important thing is that when someone is called up, be honest, to give him continuity and not for a specific moment or because another team wants him, but to treat him well, so that the federation that chooses him knows how to progress and that the boys don’t feel abandoned.”
PHOTO: IMAGO / Icon Sportswire
