Seattle Sounders Homegrown midfielder Danny Leyva’s loan move to Dick’s Sporting Goods Park was announced on Tuesday morning. The Las Vegas native joins Robin Fraser’s Colorado Rapids squad after struggling to find playing time in a young midfield core in the Pacific Northwest. Seattle received a third-round pick in the 2025 MLS SuperDraft, and $92,000 in General Allocation Money, as part of the move.
The agreement, announced as a one-year loan deal that will see Leyva join a budding young side in hopes of procuring playing time, seems the best for both sides. Seattle’s midfield added Sota Kitahara to a squad that includes young talents Josh Atencio and Obed Vargas alongside league veterans João Paulo, Nicolás Lodeiro, Albert Rusnák, and Cristian Roldan. Atencio, a recent Goal of the Matchweek and Team of the Matchweek winner for his performance in Matchweek 7, seems the most tapped to break into the starting group, with Vargas close behind after being selected against the Portland Timbers.
Elisabeth Adams / Area Sports Network
Leyva most often served as a possession-controlling player, where he excelled with Seattle’s academy as a member of the U-15 and U-17 sides. Notably, he made his debut for the Sounders in their 2019 MLS Cup-winning campaign at 15 years old, at the time Seattle’s youngest-ever signing. He’s mostly entered games from the bench as a pressure release valve, appearing alongside more defensively-minded players like Gustav Svensson.
Seattle’s lack of a truly defensive midfielder has weakened Leyva’s prospects over the past two seasons - as João Paulo has cemented his place in the side, the need for a dedicated player in that spot has all but disappeared. However, it’s obvious that Leyva still needs that support player in order to allow his impressive talent to shine without hindering him with defensive responsibility, and too often it’s not an option in Seattle.
What Does This Mean for Colorado?
Currently, the Colorado Rapids are sitting in 12th place in the Western Conference. Having only won one game, tied five of them, and lost three, the Rapids started the season struggling to find momentum and positive results. One major factor to the Rapids slow start and struggles revolves around injuries - specifically to crucial players.
Captain Jack Price, who also plays in the midfield, is out for the season with a knee injury, and players like Cole Bassett, Brian Galvan, and now recently Bryan Acosta are fighting injuries as well. The season is long, and with new competitions and expectations to make deep runs, the Rapids front office took immediate action and brought in a youngster from Seattle, Danny Leyva.
Positives to take from this trade depend on how Leyva will perform and give to the club. Rapids have acquired another youngster to bolster for the future. Although the loan won’t be keeping him past 2023, if he performs and steps up then, Colorado Rapids President Pádraig Smith will make this move permanent next year.
Pádraig has spoken on the DNVR Podcast, intimating that he is planning for years to come, but this move has intent for the short term, saying, “It was important for us to reinforce our midfield with a player of Danny’s quality as the schedule begins to get congested over the coming months,”
Leyva will be available to play for Colorado this Wednesday in the Lamar US Open Cup fixture against Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC.
How Will Leyva Fit In?
Leyva will most likely be another depth piece to the Rapids midfield, despite any thought from Seattle fans he is coming to get more minutes. It’s just as difficult to start here in Colorado. Connor Ronan, who recently joined from Wolverhampton, has been starting week in and week out in the Rapids midfield alongside MLS-experienced Bryan Acosta. On the bench, Leyva will be competing against Ralph Priso for that 6 position that the Rapids double pivot employs. The pressure on our midfield has increased now that another talented MLS youngster is joining, but Rapids fans are asking themselves - why didn’t we get someone with more experience?
Elisabeth Adams / Area Sports Network
Playing at altitude and adapting to Robin Fraser’s system will take time, and although all the pre-speculations ahead for Danny Leyva, I am going to sit back and watch his performances before I make my analysis and criticism - it’s only fair as Colorado and Seattle are two different atmospheres.
Where Does Leyva Fit in Colorado?
Since the Rapids have been deploying a 3-4-2-1 formation, he will most likely be slotted in the double-pivot midfield. Whether that be alongside Acosta or coming in for Ronan, his qualities are there to balance out our attack and the first line of defense in front of our back three center backs.
I don’t think right away he starts over Priso or comes in ahead of him, he will likely take time to adapt, but he can certainly push the Canadian out of favor if Priso isn’t providing more for the Rapids. He’s liked by Robin Fraser, so I am sure he will be giving everyone a fair chance.
If Leyva plays this Wednesday in the U.S. Open Cup, this is where I would slot him in:
(3-4-2-1): Ilić; Beitashour, Edwards, Markinich; Harris, Priso, Leyva, Nicholson; Barrios, Lewis, Yapi
Leyva’s move to Colorado seems like nothing but a possibility; if he’s not getting time in Seattle away from tournaments like the Open Cup or the summer’s Leagues Cup, it’s a positive step for him to get experience in the league that he’s likely to remain in.
He signed a five-year deal with the club last year, a sign that long-term he’ll remain in the Emerald City, but Seattle and Colorado fans alike should be excited to see what his future holds.
As Leyva becomes a Burgundy Boy, I will be keeping tabs and updates - you can follow along on my Twitter @RiccardoComine1!
Check out Area Sports Network on Twitter & Instagram and Subscribe to our YouTube Channel. We just hit 1k subscribers and look to continue to grow the channel. Stay tuned for more content going forward!
