WASHINGTON (Aug. 30, 2019) - D.C. United have announced that Homegrown midfielder Chris Durkin will join Sint-Truidense V.V. in the Belgian First Division A on loan until June 2020.
"Over the past two seasons with D.C. United, Chris has managed to gain valuable first team minutes," Dave Kasper, D.C. United General Manager and VP of Soccer Operations, said. "We feel he is now ready to test himself in Europe in a very competitive league. We are confident Chris will adapt quickly and show his quality and we will be monitoring his progress closely."
Durkin signed a contract with the Black-and-Red on June 14, 2016 to become the club’s eighth-ever Homegrown Signing as a 16-year-old. The midfielder made his debut for the Black-and-Red in the 2016 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup when he started and played 86 minutes in the Fourth Round against the Fort Lauderdale Strikers. The U-20 U.S. National Team player made his MLS Regular Season debut for United as a 73rd-minute substitute in the 1-1 draw against Orlando City SC on March 3, 2018. He started his first match for the Black-and-Red in the 3-1 loss against Columbus Crew SC on March 24, 2018 and scored his first professional goal in the 1-0 win against Colorado on April 13, 2019. The 19-year-old has scored one goal and recorded one assist in 36 appearances (23 starts) in MLS Regular Season play.
In 2019, Durkin has scored one goal in 13 MLS Regular Season appearances (seven starts). He last appeared for D.C. United in the loss to the Philadelphia Union at Audi Field on August 4. The midfielder also made one appearance in the 2019 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup when the Black-and-Red fell to New York City FC in the Round of 16 on June 20, 2019.
Durkin represented the U-20 U.S. National Team in the 2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Poland. The midfielder appeared in four of the United States’ five matches at the tournament before falling to Ecuador in the Quarterfinals on June 8.
