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Morning update

Morning update: MLS gets record sale, Aaronson's strong preseason, kids impress in Leagues Cup, & more

ASN has you covered with a morning update to start your Thursday with entries from the transfer market, Leagues Cup, and the Euro preseason
BY Paul Stephens Posted
August 13, 2026
8:25 AM

HAPPY THURSDAY MORNING to all ASN readers out there, here is a news rundown of stories in American soccer to begin your day. Today, we will cover a few transfer stories, Leagues Cup, and European preseason games involving U.S. players.

Let’s go…

 

Herrington Sale

 

Hull City recently earned promotion to the English Premier League in May following a win in the playoff final. As part of bulking up their squad, Hull acquired 18-year-old Australian World Cup defender Lucas Herrington from the Colorado Rapids. The deal can reportedly exceed $20 million. MLS’s web site reported the fee as: $23 million, including a $17 million base plus a sell-on percentage.

On August 13, 2025, Herrington agreed to terms with the Colorado Rapids with the transfer completed in January 2026. The Rapids paid the Australian club $1 million and Brisbane announced it kept a sell-on percentage – which will see them earn a significant fee from Hull City.  

The Rapids announced that the Herrington sale was both a club record and the largest fee ever paid for an MLS defender. In 2024 it was the Rapids who also sold Canadian international Moïse Bombito to Nice for what was then a record pain for an MLS central defender.

The bottom line is that this is the latest in a wave of impressive sales for MLS players over the past year – a list that also includes Zavier Gozo and Obed Vargas. It is overall healthy, as long as MLS teams continue to play young players an invest in academies.

Meanwhile for the Rapids, it should inspire the club to find the next Herrington or Bombito. The club is still two points out of the playoff positions and this is certainly a setback on their postseason hopes if they do not quickly reinvest.

 

Leagues Cup updates

 

Leagues Cup games continued on Wednesday night. Orlando needed three-goal margin of victory to advance, but in taking risks squandered a 2-0 lead late and settled for a shootout win. That eliminated the club.

The good news for Orlando was that Daryl Dike scored the opening goal after returning to the club this summer after an injury riddled three seasons in England. The former USMNT international looks fit and ready to progress with his career.

Top U.S. U-20 forward Justin Ellis came off the bench and scored his team’s second goal with a header. He is fun to watch and loves to take on players with the dribble but he is still raw.

Just days after the death of his father, Lionel Messi returned to Inter Miami for Wednesday night’s game against Leon. Unfortunately, the Argentine legend could not help the team avoid a 3-2 loss to Leon that eliminates the Florida club from advancing. U.S. U-20 attacker Daniel Pinter scored the game’s first goal for Miami to continue what has been a strong tournament for young American players.

LAFC earned two points after its shootout victory over Queretaro following a 1-1 draw. LAFC may still advance depending on other results.

Days after ending its seven game losing skid with a win over Queretaro, the Seattle Sounders fell right back into performing poorly after collapsing in a 2-1 loss to Chivas. Seattle took the lead early in the game but the second half was all Chivas who overwhelmed Seattle in the second half.

San Diego FC ended its Leagues Cup campaign with a respectable six points after a 3-2 win over Puebla. U.S. Olympic hopeful David Vazquez scored his team’s second goal. San Diego’s only blemish was a 3-1 loss to Club America.

Nashville was another team that needed to win against Monterrey to advance and despite scoring in the first minute, it conceded an equalizer and a goal in stoppage time to fall 2-1. Former Columbus Crew playmaker Diego Rossi was in great form for Monterrey.

Finally, FC Dallas had a difficult assignment playing away at very high altitude against Toluca. Despite scoring a ninth minute equalizer, FC Dallas eventually faded and lost 3-1.

As of now, Real Salt Lake and the Columbus Crew have clinched two of the four MLS spots in the quarterfinal. LAFC and Cincinnati are sitting in the remaining two spots but need Chicago and Austin FC to falter on Thursday night.

Chicago faces Cruz Azul while Austin FC takes on Club America.

 

Euro Preseason, Aaronson scores, Tillman starts

 

Brenden Aaronson is having a solid preseason for Leeds United and on Wednesday he scored his team’s only goal in a 1-1 draw with Manchester United in what was a very rare soccer game played at Dublin’s Croke Park, a venue typically only reserved for traditional Gaelic Games.

The Medford, New Jersey native started the game for Leeds and scored a first-half equalizer before being subbed out at halftime.



Aaronson also scored for Leeds earlier this month in a 4-2 win over Liverpool.

Also in Europe, Malik Tillman started and played 69 minutes for Bayer Leverkusen in a 2-1 loss to Nottingham Forest.

 

Akinmboni trials with Dundee

 

Matai Akinmboni, 19, is currently on trial with Dundee FC to possibly secure a season-long loan from his club AFC Bournemouth. The former DC United homegrown central defender has struggled with injuries in recent years and was not fit for the 2025 U-20 World Cup.

Dundee FC finished eighth in the 12-team Scottish Premiership in 2025/26 and likely needs defensive reinforcements. Meanwhile, Akinmboni desperately needs to reboot his career after not being able to get going since leaving DC United.

 

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