Lucas Herrington’s move to the Premier League should serve as proof that players who excel for the Colorado Rapids in MLS can have big futures elsewhere, says head coach Matt Wells.
On Wednesday, Australia international Herrington joined Premier League new-boys Hull City in a deal that could reportedly be worth up to $23m (£17m).
That is the highest fee the Rapids have ever received for a player, and though the 18-year-old’s exit may damage the team’s bid for a spot in the MLS Cup Playoffs, Wells feels Herrington’s rise has set an example for other youngsters.
Herrington impressed while representing Australia at the World Cup, starting two of the Socceroos’ four matches as they reached the round of 32 before losing to Egypt.
And, speaking ahead of Saturday’s home game against Sporting Kansas City, Wells lavished praise upon the centre-back.
“What an incredible and well-deserved achievement for Lucas to be heading to the Premier League,” Wells said.
“From the outset, Lucas embraced absolutely every element of the environment we set out to create here.
“In our first meeting, he expressed to me that his ambition was to play ‘some minutes’ this season in MLS. Just a few months later, he has played in a World Cup and is now Premier League-bound.
“He’s a brilliant example of the type of people we want to bring to Colorado, those who are excited by our dominant style of football and ready to push themselves every single day to be world-class.
“At the beginning, I told everyone we would play in the image of a ‘big team’ and therefore demand that our individuals perform like big players. Lucas has done that consistently, and as a result, he has been recognised on the biggest stages.”
Where one journey ends.
New Elevate premieres tomorrow at 10 AM pic.twitter.com/v9gUemFFVr
— Colorado Rapids (@ColoradoRapids) August 12, 2026
Colorado are currently 11th in the Western Conference, two points adrift of the final wild-card spot.
Their upcoming opponents, Sporting, are rock bottom of the Western standings with just 14 points from 18 games this season.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Colorado Rapids – Rafael Navarro
The Rapids’ last MLS game, on August 1, was a 1-0 victory over Austin FC, sealed by Navarro’s 94th-minute penalty.
It was his second successful penalty in the 90th minute or later this regular season, making him one of the three MLS players with two such goals in 2026 (also Evander and Tai Baribo).
Sporting Kansas City – Dejan Joveljic
Since joining Kansas City last season, Joveljic has scored 10 of the team’s 26 road goals in MLS play.
Eleven other Sporting players have scored a road league goal in that time, with no player other than Joveljic having netted more than three times.
MATCH PREDICTION – COLORADO RAPIDS WIN
In March, the Rapids earned a 4-1 road victory over Sporting KC, snapping a three-game losing streak in the head-to-head series.
It was Colorado’s third time winning a match by three or more goals in this fixture, following a 4-0 victory in May 1996 and a 3-0 win in the 1997 MLS Cup Playoffs.
The Rapids have also kept clean sheets in consecutive home matches in regular-season play for the first time since May 2025.
Colorado’s last longer home shutout streak in the regular season was a four-match run in April and May 2022.
And they are big favourites against a Sporting team that have suffered six defeats by multiple goals without scoring themselves in MLS this season. That is the most such losses by any team and tied for the second-most in a campaign in team history (seven in 2001).
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Colorado Rapids – 58%
Sporting Kansas City – 20.2%
Draw – 21.8%
