D.C. United transfers Griffin Yow to Westerlo

D.C. United made the long-rumored official today, transferring Griffin Yow to Belgium side KVC Westerlo. D.C. receives a reported $100,000 fee, with 35% sell-on and additional performance-based incentives, while Yow signed a four-year contract with the club.

“We want to thank Griffin for his years of commitment to the club starting as an academy player,” Lucy Rushton, D.C. United General Manager, said in a press release. “He was one of the first Homegrowns to prosper from our Pathway 2 Pro program after getting his foothold in professional soccer by playing important minutes with our USL Championship side, Loudoun United FC. We wish him all the best in the next chapter of his career.”

Yow moved to D.C.’s Academy following a year at the Virginia Development Academy, spending several years there under Coach Ryan Martin, and played his first pro minutes with Loudoun United, scoring the first goal in team history on March 16 before signing with D.C. several days later as a 16-year-old, and made his D.C. debut as a substitute a month later.

However, Yow has struggled to find playing time since that debut, appearing in 32 games (starting 9) in four years, scoring three goals, and registering two assists. In addition, Yow has appeared in 18 games with Loudoun over the same time, scoring three goals, and the last minutes of Yow’s time with the organization was with Loudoun, playing all 90 minutes in a 1-0 win over the New York Red Bulls II on June 8.

Yow goes to a Westerlo side that recently acquired fellow American Bryan Reynolds on loan from AS Roma. De Kemphanen was promoted to the First Division A in the 2021-22 season following a brief stint in the First Division B. Yow becomes the third homegrown player to secure a permanent move to Belgium, following Andy Najar’s 2013 move to Anderlecht and Chris Durkin’s permanent move in 2020 (following a 2019 loan) to Sint Truiden. He joins his Academy and professional teammate Kevin Paredes (who moved to Bundesliga side Wolfsburg in the winter) as recent D.C. homegrowns who have moved on to Europe. Yow’s new team has begun preseason and their next friendlies are on July 8, with Westerlo to play Hernan Losada’s former club Beerschot in a July 16 preseason game.

Tear it up, Griff!