Daryl Dike has had an incredible professional career. One that has lasted less than a year and a half. After being drafted 5th 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.
Continue reading
Andrew Visnovsky 