Ex Derry City striker Michael Harris 'brings a punch of offensive prowess' to MLS giants Colorado Rapids

The out of contract Donegal teenager was reportedly being tracked by Scottish giants Celtic and several English clubs including Championship outfit Stoke City and Wolves.

He turned down an offer to remain at Derry City with Ruaidhri Higgins promising the Convoy native a place in his first team squad for the 2022 season and after much deliberation felt a move Stateside was his best option.

Harris is set to join up with the Rapids second string before attempting to play his way into contention for the first team which topped the MLS' Western Conference in 2021 before crashing to a play-off defeat.

Announcing the completion of the move today (Friday) a Rapids stated Harris 'brings a punch of offensive prowess to the Rapids 2 attack'.

"Rapids 2 announced the signing of Irishman Michael Harris on Friday morning to the new MLS NEXT Pro team in its inaugural season," read the statement.

"Harris, a 19-year-old striker and League of Ireland talent, brings a punch of offensive prowess to the Rapids 2 attack. The County Donegal native joins the Rapids 2 squad off the heels of two senior Derry City FC appearances and a 2021 season that saw his consistent involvement with the Candystripes’ first team on match days. His most recent senior appearance was marked by a crucial 2-1 win over Dundalk on the final day of the 2021 domestic season.

"The stealthy attacker played a significant role in Derry City’s U19 side, scoring the winning penalty against the Bohemians in the Enda McGuill Cup final in 2021. Harris also contributed a goal in Derry’s U19 semi-final win over Treaty United at the Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium."