Rapids Defender Auston Trusty Gets Transfer To London's Arsenal

COMMERCE CITY, CO —The Colorado Rapids announced Monday that they have agreed to transfer defender Auston Trusty to London's Arsenal FC of the English Premier League. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Trusty will remain with the Major League Soccer club on loan until July 17, when he is scheduled to depart for the beginning of Arsenal's preseason training.

Both clubs are owned by Kroenke Sports & Entertainment (KSE).

Trusty, 23, just completed his second season with the Rapids, helping to lead the team to the best record in the Western Conference in 2021.

During the 2021 campaign, the 6-foot-3 Trusty was named the Rapids "Defender of the Year," and he led the team in minutes played. He had a goal and three assists in 33 matches.

"Auston is coming off an exceptional season in 2021 in which he played a vital role in helping us finish atop the Western Conference for the first time in our history," said Pádraig Smith, Colorado Rapids executive vice president and general manager. "Auston's outstanding performances caught the eye of several European clubs over the past 12 months and we are privileged to be part of an organization with the reach and scale of KSE that allows us to help a player of Auston's potential further his development and career aspirations in Europe."

Smith continued: "We remain committed to bringing through the top young players from Colorado and across the United States and to providing them with a platform to flourish, achieve success in MLS and earn the chance to make a move to Europe."

A native of Media, Pennsylvania, Trusty began his career with the Philadelphia Union. As a 20-year-old rookie in 2018, Trusty became the youngest player in MLS history to play every minute across a full 34-game schedule.

Though Trusty has not yet played for the Senior U.S. Men's National Team, he was on the bench for the team's December friendly against Bosnia and Herzegovina and was part of the team's Arizona training camp in January.

Trusty's move to Arsenal is subject to the completion of regulatory processes, including international clearance and a work permit.

Trusty becomes the third Rapids player to transfer to a European club over the past year, after defender Sam Vines moved to Royal Antwerp FC in Belgium last August and Cole Bassett joined Feyenoord Rotterdam in the Netherlands earlier this month.