PHOENIX – Phoenix Rising FC announced on Wednesday the club had transferred midfielder Carlos Harvey to Minnesota United FC of Major League Soccer for an undisclosed fee. The transaction is pending league and federation approval. 

Harvey helped lead Rising FC to its first USL Championship title this past campaign after joining the club in preseason. He recorded five goals in 34 appearances in league play while also adding two goals in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup to end the campaign with seven goals and six assists across all competitions.

Additionally, Harvey led Rising FC with 225 duels won at a 55.8 percent success rate while also recording 187 recoveries and 27 interceptions and an 86.3 percent passing accuracy rate on 1,346 completed passes.

“Carlos was an integral part of what we were able to achieve as a club last year,” said Rising FC Head Coach Danny Stone. “A versatile player that can fit into several roles at the MLS level, he deserves this opportunity to move on to his next challenge. We send him with all our best wishes and hope he has nothing but success.”

“The truth is Phoenix Rising prepared me very well and in the best way possible to face this new challenge,” added Harvey. “Thanks to all my teammates and the technical staff, front office, and medical staff… All who prepared me in the best way for me to succeed. I am also very happy and very grateful to all the fans here in Phoenix. The entire city treated me in the best way possible. They made me feel at home.”

Harvey has made 90 appearances in the USL Championship over his career so far, having previously competed in the league for the LA Galaxy II for three seasons. Over his career he has posted 6,729 minutes of action in the league and notched a 56.9 percent duel success rate and 84.7 percent passing accuracy rate.

The 23-year-old becomes the third player player to be transferred from a USL Championship club to a team in Major League Soccer this offseason, and the second to depart Rising FC for the top flight in recent months following Kevon Lambert’s transfer to Real Salt Lake last August.

Alongside the transfers overseas of Milan Iloski by Orange County SC to FC Nordsjælland and Manny Perez of Louisville City FC to AC Horsens – both in Denmark – Harvey’s sale is part of a new trend of talented players in their early 20s making the move to new clubs.

“Carlos Harvey’s transfer by Phoenix Rising FC to Minnesota United is another example of the high level of talent with real transfer value that can currently be found in the USL Championship,” said USL Head of Global Football Development & Sporting Director Oliver Wyss. “Moves like Harvey’s show the platform the USL is able to provide players coming into the primes of their careers, and we wish him the best as he enters this next chapter in MLS.”