Stejskal: Colorado Rapids sign Kellyn Acosta to new three-year contract

Kellyn Acosta - Colorado Rapids - close up

Kellyn Acosta is re-upping with the Colorado Rapids.


Sources told MLSsoccer.com on Tuesday that Acosta and the club recently agreed to a new three-year contract that will pay Acosta an average of $800,000 per season. The deal includes club options for the 2022 and 2023 seasons, keeping the US international under Rapids control through the 2022 World Cup. The contract will be bought down with Targeted Allocation Money this season.


The sources added that Colorado are close to finalizing new deals for two other "core players." 


MLSsoccer.com reported in January that the Rapids turned down a $3 million transfer offer from an English Championship club for Acosta. The sources added on Tuesday that Colorado later turned down a second, $3.5 million offer from the same club for Acosta, who they'd begun discussing a new contract with before the initial bid was made.


Acosta’s new contract is a close match to the reported terms of the new deal that the Seattle Sounders signed fellow 23-year-old U.S. national team midfielder Cristian Roldan to earlier this offseason.


Acquired by Colorado last July after spending the first five and a half years of his career with FC Dallas, Acosta recorded two goals and three assists in 12 games with the Rapids in 2018. He had three goals and five assists in 25 regular season appearances between Colorado and FCD last season and has 11 goals and 15 assists in 129 career MLS matches.


Acosta has two goals and one assist in 23 career appearances with the US men’s national team. He participated in the opening portion of the USMNT’s January camp last month but was one of four players cut from the group before they broke camp with friendlies against Panama and Costa Rica.


The Rapids and Acosta are currently in training camp in Chula Vista, Calif. The club will open the 2019 regular season on March 2 at home against the Portland Timbers.