A 6-Foot-4 Teen Just Became Europe’s Most Wanted Defender After One World Cup

Lucas Herrington didn’t even start for Colorado Rapids six months ago. Now he’s got Barcelona, Liverpool, Manchester United and about half of Europe calling his agent.

The 18-year-old Australian center-back basically became a household name during the World Cup. He was Australia’s youngest-ever starter in the tournament and looked completely unfazed against Paraguay and Egypt. Scouts couldn’t stop talking about how calm he was for a guy who still can’t legally buy a beer in most countries.

There was drama too. Herrington stepped up to take a penalty in the shootout loss to Egypt — only to hit the crossbar. But instead of getting roasted, he got praised. Zlatan Ibrahimovic actually publicly saluted his guts for taking the kick. That tells you something about the kid’s mentality.

The bidding war is real

According to reporting from TEAMtalk’s Graeme Bailey, it’s not just the big three. Everton, Aston Villa and Newcastle have jumped into the Premier League chase. Chelsea’s ownership group and Manchester City’s parent company have held their own internal talks. Bayern Munich, Ajax, Monaco — they’re all watching.

What makes this wild is how fast it happened. Herrington joined Colorado from Brisbane Roar in January for under $1.3 million. Now the Rapids stand to make a massive profit. But they’re not just cashing out. Colorado wants to loan him back for another MLS season before he goes to Europe. Several clubs think that’s actually smart for his development.

Liverpool’s front office loves that idea. FSG has been loading up on elite young talent and letting them grow. A year in MLS with the Rapids, then a move to Anfield? That fits their whole model.

He’s already an All-Star

Herrington was just named to the MLS All-Star squad. He’ll be lining up alongside Lionel Messi later this month against Liga MX. Not bad for a guy who was playing in the A-League 12 months ago.

At 6-foot-4 with that kind of composure and a World Cup audition under his belt, it’s not really a question of whether he leaves Colorado. It’s which giant check gets signed first. And whether the Rapids can keep him stateside one more year before he becomes somebody else’s problem in Europe.