One of Colorado’s promising youngsters officially left the Rapids on Tuesday, when the club announced the transfer of third-year forward Deshorn Brown to Norwegian club Vålerenga.
Per league and club policy, terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
Drafted with the No. 6 pick in the 2013 MLS SuperDraft, Brown led the Rapids in scoring each of the last two years, notching 10 goals in both 2013 and 2014. The 24-year-old finished second in MLS Rookie of the Year voting in 2013, losing out to his Rapids teammate Dillon Powers.
“Deshorn came to our club through the draft process and, right from the beginning, proved he had the talent to go far in the game,” Colorado VP of Soccer Operations and Technical Director Paul Bravo said in a statement released by the club. “Although we are sad to see him go, this move is an opportunity Deshorn wanted and, on the club side, gives us the flexibility to continue strengthening the squad as we move forward. On behalf of everyone at the Rapids, we want to thank Deshorn for everything he has done for the club, and we wish him the best of luck in the future.”
Brown came off the bench in the Rapids’ lone match of the season, playing the final two minutes of Colorado’s scoreless draw at Philadelphia on March 7. He is the second player to move from MLS to Norway this winter, joining former New England Revolution defender A.J. Soares in the country's top flight.
The speedy forward has one goal in seven career caps with the Jamaican national team.
Based in the capital of Oslo, Vålerenga are one of Norway’s most decorated clubs, having won the first-division title five times. They have not won the title since 2005, however, and they finished sixth in the Tippeligaen last year. Vålerenga will open their new campaign on April 5 against Strømsgodset.
The Rapids will return to action this Saturday, when they host expansion club New York City FC at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park (4 pm ET, MLS LIVE).
