Colorado Rapids have announced the signing of defender Mike da Fonte from USL's Sacramento Republic. The 25-year-old was a regular starter last season for a team that won the USL Western Conference in the regular season and lost out to Orange County Blues on penalties in the playoffs. Da Fonte was a significant part of a defense that only allowed 27 goals in 30 league games in 2016, and kept a clean sheet in its only post-season match.
His move up to MLS is, of course, to be attributed to his own work on the field, but da Fonte's signing is also positive news for New York Red Bulls II.