CHARLOTTE, N.C. β Charlotte FC has agreed on a deal in principle to send striker Patrick Agyemang to Derby County in the English Championship for about $8 million with $2 million in bonuses.
Agyemang, who was drafted by Charlotte FC in the 2023 MLS Super Draft, had been a top target by a number of European clubs since the past offseason. Midway through the 2025 season, Agyemang leads Charlotte FC with six goals. In 2024 during his breakout season, Agyemang led the team with 10 goals.
“For me, I know if things work out I know there’s a chance I could go somewhere else. Obviously you grow up as a kid and you think, people want to play in Europe and these big divisions and big, Champions League and all these leagues and cups. But I like to focus on the now and it’s just day by day,” Patrick Agyemang shared in an interview with WCNC in February.
Patrick Agyemang has gone from playing Division III soccer at Eastern Connecticut, to transferring to Division I at University of Rhode Island before getting drafted. In 2025, Agyemang got his first call-up with the U.S. Men’s National Team, scoring in his international debut vs. Venezuela. Since then, he has scored five international goals, most recently on the United States’ run in the Gold Cup.
MLS and USMNT insider Tom Bogert from Soccerwise first reported the deal, and spoke with WCNC following the news:
“This has been a long time coming. There was an offer in the winter that was around $4 million so Charlotte did things right to wait until now. Derby County has been pushing very very hard and this bid came in last week. Patrick Agyemang wants to go to Derby County but there several other clubs, several big clubs who were saying, hey, we need to wait to sell a player or get the finances. Charlotte kinda held out and they accepted the Derby County offer and Patrick Agyemang is getting the move that he wants.”
Earlier that day at a scheduled weekly press conference, Charlotte FC manager Dean Smith acknowledged the rumors surrounding Agyemang’s future with the club:
“I don’t know because at the moment, Patrick is still our player, Patrick has not told me he wants to leave this football club. Until the moment he does, he won’t be leaving the football club,” said Smith. “We want to keep our better players here but, and I’ve said it before: every player has a price and if the price is right for our club to sell the player and the player wants to go and all those things are met, then things can happen. At this moment in time, Patrick has never said to me that he wants to leave the club.”
Charlotte FC has relied on Israeli international striker Idan Toklomati to play the number 9 position with Agyemang away on international duty. The summer transfer window opens on July 24 if Charlotte FC looks to target an additional piece that they can also fill in a designated player slot.Β