The transfers of Sounders FC Midfielder Danny Leyva to LIGA MX side Club Necaxa is final. Leyva originally signed with the Sounders in 2019 as a homegrown player, then spent the next seven seasons with the Rave Green and participated in 107 appearances. The 22-year-old Leyva is coming off his best season with the Sounders. In 2025, Leyva appeared in 26 matches across all competitions and recorded a career-high of six assists.
“Danny has been part of this club for many years, and throughout that time he has always put the team first,” said Sounders FC General Manager & Chief Soccer Officer Craig Waibel. “From the moment he joined our academy he carried himself with the professionalism and commitment that define what it means to be a Sounder. We are proud of his growth both as a player and as a person, and we thank him for everything he has given to this organization. We wish him all the best as he takes this next step in his career with Club Necaxa.”
A SURPRISE MOVE
Leyva’s transfer is a bit of a surprise given the lack of depth in the Sounders’ midfield. The Sounders’ current midfielder roster consists of Paul Arriola, who is recovering from a leg injury, Reed Baker-Whiting, Synder Brunell, Pedro de la Vega, also recovering from an injury, and Gerogio Minoungou, Cristian Roldan, Albert Rusnak, and Obed Vargas.
A deeper dive into the unit separates it from wingers and true holding and attacking midfielders. Arriola, De la Vega, Minoungou, Brunell, and Baker-Whitting are all wingers. Roldan, Vargas, and Rusnak are true midfielders. In 2025, Leyva filled in for Roldan and Vargas and started six MLS games, two CONCACAF Champions Cup Leagues Cup matches, and two Tacoma Defiance matches.
“I’m incredibly grateful to Sounders FC for everything this club has meant to me since the day I joined the academy,” said Leyva. “Growing up in this environment shaped me not only as a player, but as a person, and I’m thankful for all the coaches, staff and teammates who helped guide my development along the way. Seattle will always be an important part of my journey. While I’m excited for the opportunity ahead with Club Necaxa, I’ll carry the lessons and memories from my time with the Sounders with me wherever I go.”
Leyva originally joined Sounders FC Academy from his local select club Barcelona Las Vegas in 2017, playing with the Rave Green U-15 and U-17 teams and compiling 11 goals and 13 assists across all competitions. He began playing two years up with the U-17 squad during the first round of 2018 Generation Adidas Cup, which Sounders FC won. He went on to feature in every postseason match as the U-17s collected the club’s first-ever U.S. Soccer Development Academy National Championship in 2017-2018. He has also represented the United States at the U-16, U-17, U-20 and U-23 levels, making 23 total appearances and scoring two goals.
Sounders FC finished fifth in the Western Conference with 55 points (15-9-10) in 2025, qualifying for the postseason for the 16th time in 17 seasons. In all competitions, the Rave Green played a club-record 50 matches with a 23-13-14 record, also competing in the 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup, FIFA Club World Cup 2025 and Leagues Cup 2025, winning the latter for the ninth major trophy since joining MLS in 2009. The club now heads into the offseason, with its sights set on the 2026 MLS campaign, which kicks off on Sunday, February 22 against the Colorado Rapids (6:00 p.m. PT / Apple TV, FS1).
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