The kid with the hair.
That is how the world was first introduced to DeAndre Yedlin when he signed with Sounders FC back in January of 2013.
Now, the 21-year-old defender is much, much more than that.
The Seattle native went on to become the club’s ever-present right back, a two-time MLS All-Star, a Supporters’ Shield and U.S. Open Cup winner, the 2014 U.S. Soccer Young Male Athlete of the Year, a member of the 23-man USMNT roster at the 2014 FIFA World Cup and coming next month, a member of a top club in the English Premier League.
That’s a quite a lot in under two years.
“We are extremely proud of what DeAndre has accomplished during his time in Seattle and we wish him every success in the next step of his career,” said Sounders FC Owner and General Manager Adrian Hanauer. “DeAndre will always be a member of the Sounders FC family, and as our first Homegrown Player, he is now a global ambassador for our club and our region. DeAndre is a special player and we look forward to watching him progress in his career at Tottenham.”
It was Hanauer and the Sounders FC technical staff that first noticed the speedy O’Dea High School grad and brought him into the club’s burgeoning academy system back in 2010. From there, it was a rapid ascent for Yedlin.
Two years at Akron University was enough for Hanauer and co. to see that he was ready for the Sounders First Team. After signing for the club prior to the 2013 MLS SuperDraft, he quickly supplanted the soon-to-depart Adam Johansson (a Swedish national team player, no less) as the club’s starting right back.
Yedlin went on to start 55 matches for the Sounders in MLS play, routinely patrolling the right flank with all the energy and passion of a player who will always be known as the club’s first ever Homegrown Player.
And that is why his story is so impressive. There has scarcely been a case in MLS where a Homegrown Player has risen through the ranks so quickly to go on to sign with a top European club. Andy Najar of D.C. United, who now players for Anderlecht in Belgium, took three years of MLS play before he was ready. Yedlin did it in two and signed with a club in a much bigger league.
“I’m very excited to get into the Premier League and challenge myself against some of the best players in the world,” Yedlin said on an interview with SpursTV back when the transfer was announced in August. “It’s a great team. I know with the new coach coming in, it’s a style that fits with the way I play. That’s a big reason I made this decision. I’m just excited to come in and learn under him and under the great players on this team.”
Tottenham Hotspur recently announced that Yedlin will be joining the London club in January with the goal of speeding the young defender’s growth and acclimation to his second professional club.
"It's important for his development he's given time to adapt to his new surroundings on and off the pitch," said Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino. "Coming to us in January it will give him the best opportunity to do so."
And with that, Yedlin will leave a city in which he has been absolutely adored over the last 24 months. One that was first enamored by his flamboyant hairstyles and incredible pace and soon realized what an incredible player he was becoming. One that will always be his home.
His departure hasn’t soured Sounders supporters’ view of him, rather deepened the love and respect. The move to England signals the success of the Sounders FC Academy, the growth of the club and the increasing development of the USA’s top flight.
He exits as a proud son of Seattle, a shining example of youth development in this country, an ambassador for the club he loves with an extremely bright future ahead of him…and of course, with the constantly-evolving coiffeur that first caught our attention way back when.
