RENTON, WASH. – Seattle Sounders FC today announced that it has transferred midfielder Danny Leyva to Liga MX side Club Necaxa. The 22-year-old Sounders FC Academy product moves to the Mexican topflight after seven seasons with the First Team, tallying 107 appearances and 10 assists across all competitions. Originally signing as a Homegrown Player in 2019, Leyva is coming off of a 2025 season in which he recorded a career-high six assists in 26 appearances across all competitions. Terms of the transfer agreement are not being publicly disclosed.
“Danny has been part of this club for many years, and throughout that time he has always put the team first,” said Sounders FC General Manager & Chief Soccer Officer Craig Waibel. “From the moment he joined our academy he carried himself with the professionalism and commitment that define what it means to be a Sounder. We are proud of his growth both as a player and as a person, and we thank him for everything he has given to this organization. We wish him all the best as he takes this next step in his career with Club Necaxa.”
Leyva, 22, signed with Sounders FC as the youngest player in club history (15 years and 339 days) on April 9, 2019. The club's 12th-ever Homegrown Player, Leyva helped the Rave Green win three major trophies in his time with the First Team – 2019 MLS Cup, 2022 Concacaf Champions Cup and 2025 Leagues Cup. The Las Vegas native made his First Team debut on June 5, 2019 against Montréal and appeared in a career-high 24 regular-season matches (eight starts) in 2021. He also was one of five teenagers that started in Seattle’s historic 1-0 win over Austin FC on July 22, 2021 at Q2 Stadium. In 2025, he made 26 appearances (eight starts) in all competitions while recording a career-high six assists. Leyva also made 40 appearances for Tacoma Defiance since 2018, recording three goals and four assists.
"I’m incredibly grateful to Sounders FC for everything this club has meant to me since the day I joined the academy,” said Leyva. “Growing up in this environment shaped me not only as a player, but as a person, and I’m thankful for all the coaches, staff and teammates who helped guide my development along the way. Seattle will always be an important part of my journey. While I’m excited for the opportunity ahead with Club Necaxa, I’ll carry the lessons and memories from my time with the Sounders with me wherever I go."
Leyva originally joined Sounders FC Academy from his local select club Barcelona Las Vegas in 2017, playing with the Rave Green U-15 and U-17 teams and compiling 11 goals and 13 assists across all competitions. He began playing two years up with the U-17 squad during the first round of 2018 Generation Adidas Cup, which Sounders FC won. He went on to feature in every postseason match as the U-17s collected the club’s first-ever U.S. Soccer Development Academy National Championship in 2017-2018. He has also represented the United States at the U-16, U-17, U-20 and U-23 levels, making 23 total appearances and scoring two goals.
"There’s a saying that when your best players are also your best people, then you have a uniqueness that is rare to find. Danny fits that mold," said Sounders FC Technical Director Henry Brauner. "Since his first moments in the academy, his human qualities and soccer abilities were always in sync. We are so proud of what he has accomplished, from representing the U.S. at a U-17 World Cup, to being a key part of the first group to win a GA Cup and a USSDA National Championship. From making his First Team debut at 16, to closing out his latest trophy in the form of a Leagues Cup victory at home, he’s proven the pathway with humility and determination, and we are so excited he’s taking next steps into Liga MX with Necaxa. Homegrown Players give the community they represent peace and pride, and we are humbled by his professionalism every step of the way."
Sounders FC finished fifth in the Western Conference with 55 points (15-9-10) in 2025, qualifying for the postseason for the 16th time in 17 seasons. In all competitions, the Rave Green played a club-record 50 matches with a 23-13-14 record, also competing in the 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup, FIFA Club World Cup 2025 and Leagues Cup 2025, winning the latter for the ninth major trophy since joining MLS in 2009. The club now heads into the offseason, with its sights set on the 2026 MLS campaign, which kicks off on Sunday, February 22 against the Colorado Rapids (6:00 p.m. PT / Apple TV, FS1).
