Designated Player Kevin Doyle will join the Colorado Rapids ahead of schedule, with the club announcing on Wednesday that the Irish international will be added to the team’s roster by the end of May after the 31-year-old reached an agreement for an early termination of his contract with English Championship club Wolverhampton.
Doyle was originally scheduled to the join the Rapids in July after his contract with Wolves expired. But, with the English club’s season officially ending on Saturday after their bid for a promotion playoff place fell short, the Rapids were able to secure an advance release, with the Designated Player now scheduled to complete his move to Colorado before the primary transfer window closes on May 12.
“We always thought this might be a possibility if Wolves did not achieve their target of promotion,” Rapids VP of Soccer Operations and Technical Director Paul Bravo said in a statement released by the club on Wednesday. “We know he is a proven goalscorer at a high level. We are confident he will not only help our younger players in their progression but also add to the group.
“We’d like to thank Wolves for their cooperation throughout this process and we wish them the best of luck next season. Meanwhile, we look forward to welcoming Kevin to our club later this month.”
Doyle has 92 goals in 352 career appearances in the English Premier League, Championship and League One. He didn’t see much playing time this season, appearing in just nine total contests for Wolves and for Premier League side Crystal Palace, where he spent time on loan.
A longtime international teammate of LA Galaxy star Robbie Keane, Doyle has 14 goals in 61 career caps for Ireland. He signed with Colorado on March 20, becoming the third Designated Player in the club’s history.
Colorado currently sits in 10th-place in the Western Conference with a 1-2-6 record. The Rapids have scored the fourth-fewest goals in the league, finding the back of the net just eight times in nine games this year.
