Reggie Cannon is off to Portugal for his first professional experience in Europe.
FC Dallas and U.S. men's national team right back Reggie Cannon is on the move, leaving his MLS club for a transfer to Portugal's Boavista FC.
FC Dallas announced the transfer of its 22-year-old homegrown defender on Wednesday, the latest of the club's academy products to make a move overseas. He'll go to a first-division side that finished 12 in the 18-team Primeira Liga a season ago. The fee is reportedly in the $3 million range.
An interesting wrinkle about Boavista is that it is reportedly close to sharing ownership with Ligue 1 club Lille–the same club that employs USA's Tim Weah and Canada's Jonathan David–with Gerard Lopez said to be on the verge of assuming a majority stake. The club recently signed veteran French defender Adil Rami and is coached by Vasco Seabra.
Cannon, who has 11 caps with the USA, spent one season in college at UCLA before joining FCD in 2017. Since then, he had 67 appearances (64 starts) and scored two goals with five assists in the regular season. He scored a goal in his lone playoff appearance last season.
“We’re so proud of what Reggie Cannon has accomplished during his FC Dallas career,” club president Dan Hunt said in a statement. “He’s gone from academy to starting for the first team and representing his country for the U.S. men’s national team. Reggie is the epitome of what we’re trying to accomplish here at FC Dallas.”
Cannon emerged as a leader with FCD, and he recently came out to criticize the scattered fans at an FC Dallas home game who booed MLS players for kneeling during the national anthem to draw attention to the racial injustices in the country they are protesting.
“This club has given me so many amazing memories,” said Cannon. “Going from the academy to the first team, it’s really one of the best experiences I could have ever imagined. I’m really excited for this opportunity. I thank Luchi Gonzalez, I thank the club, I thank the staff, Oscar Pareja for giving me that first chance to play - everyone who has given me the opportunity to get to the next level.”