Orange County Soccer Club has announced that defender Kobi Henry has joined Ligue 1 side Stade de Reims in the largest transfer deal in the history of the United Soccer League (USL).
Henry, 18, joined USL Championship side Orange County in 2020 and was called up to the U.S. national team in December 2021, becoming the first active USL player to be called up to the USMNT.
Orange County did not disclose terms of the deal but ESPN reported the transfer fee was $700,000, which smashed the previous USL record of $250,000.
“This is an incredibly exciting time for me and my family, a dream come true,” Henry said in a club release. “When I came across the country to play for OCSC, I knew that if I put in the work and followed the plan the coaches laid out for me, I would have the opportunity to play in Europe. I can’t thank OCSC, the staff, my teammates and the fans enough for believing in me. Playing abroad at the highest level is a great achievement in my journey as a professional soccer player and I look forward to what the future brings.”
Henry, who has played for the U.S. at the U-17, U-19 and U-20 levels, made 30 total appearances for OCSC.
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