Transfer Analysis: Daryl Dike, Purchase Options, and Player Valuations

Daryl Dike has had an incredible professional career.  One that has lasted less than a year and a half.  After being drafted 5^th overall in the 2020 MLS SuperDraft, Dike had a standout MLS performance for Orlando City SC in his first professional season.  This rookie performance caught the eyes of Championship club Barnsley who offered him a loan in February of 2021.   Scoring nine goals since February, and averaging a goal every 129 minutes in the Championship so far, Dike is now one of the top strikers in the USMNT player pool, has had his loan extended until the end of the championship season, and is reportedly turning heads at Premier League clubs like Everton and Leeds.

Reports have hinted that Barnsley and Orlando agreed on a $20M purchase option, with a 20% sell-on fee. [1]  At the time, many considered such an impossible value for Dike to reach.[2]  Now, with the way he is playing in the championship, that number is starting to sound more realistic.    

With Dike shining in the Championship, it seems time to talk about his purchase option, assessing his value, and how it might affect his move up the football ladder.  

Advertisement

A dispute over training compensation in US Soccer: Youth Soccer Clubs v USSF, MLS & MLSPU

Several American Youth Soccer Clubs sued the MLS Players’ Union (MLSPU) and three former and current MLS players in the Eastern District of Texas federal court in July 2016 to enforce the training compensation and solidarity payment provisions[3], contained in FIFA Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players (RSTP). The complaint[4] was brought in United States District Court of the Eastern District of Texas by Youth Soccer clubs, Dallas Texans Soccer Club, Crossfire Foundation, Inc., and Shocker’s FC Chicago LLC (together, the Youth Clubs). These clubs were training clubs for Clint Dempsey, DeAndre Yedlin, and Michael Bradley respectively. The Youth clubs name the MLS Players’ Union (MLSPU) Dempsey, Yedlin, Bradley, and “all those similarly situated” as defendants in their complaint. On March 29, 2017, the Court dismissed the case on jurisdictional grounds.

MLS Player’s Association Ratify 2015-2019 Collective Bargaining Agreement

The MLS Players Association announced their ratification of the 2015-2019 MLS Collective bargaining Agreement on July 16, 2015. In a press release, the player’s association announced some major changes to the agreement.[1] Here are some major points of interest.