The Colorado Rapids got one year of William Yarbrough in goal, and they liked what they saw.
The Rapids signed the 31-year-old goalkeeper from Liga MX’s Club León to a long-term deal, the club announced Tuesday. Yarbrough’s contract will run three years at minimum, with a club option for a fourth, according to a team source.
The Rapids secured Yarbrough on loan in 2020. After he took control of the club’s starting job in the latter stages of the season, both sides made their intentions clear that a more permanent partnership was likely.
“We’re thrilled to be able to bring Will back to the club,” Rapids general manager Pádraig Smith said in a news release. “Will is a proven winner and his leadership within the locker room was invaluable as we navigated an unprecedented season last year. Bringing him back on a permanent basis was one of our top priorities this offseason and reinforces what we believe to be one of the best goalkeeping groups in the league.”
The 6-foot-2 keeper started 14 of the Rapids’ final 15 games, solidifying himself as the team’s top option. He made 15 appearances and recorded four clean sheets while allowing 23 goals.
“The biggest part of everything is that the locker room is so tight that it feels like a family,” Yarbrough told the media during his first season. “And that obviously helps a new player to come into a new locker room and feel comfortable right away.”
Before joining the Rapids, the Mexico native spent most of his career with Club León, making 203 appearances and tallying 52 shutouts. He was a part of a club that won two Liga MX titles during his eight seasons with the club in the top division in Mexico.
Yarbrough lost his starting job for León when they signed Rodolfo Cota in 2018.
Born in Mexico to parents who emigrated from Texas, he was eligible for the U.S. National Team and made three 45-minute appearances that included two clean sheets. He has not appeared for the USMNT since 2015.
Yarbrough is expected to be the starting goalkeeper for the Rapids when the season kicks off in April but he will continue to battle MLS veteran Clint Irwin for playing time.
Footnotes. MLS exercised the force majeure clause in the current collective bargaining agreement on Dec. 29, instituting a 30-day negotiation period on a revised CBA. The MLS Players Association sent a counteroffer on Jan. 28. On Jan. 29, the league agreed to a one-week extension for negotiations. … If no agreement is reached by Feb. 4 at 9:59 p.m. MST, the league said it will terminate the current CBA and institute a lockout for the players. … Last week, MLS released important dates for 2021 with the season starting on April 3 despite the ongoing labor dispute.
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