U.S. men's national team midfielder Sebastian Berhalter is set to transfer from the Vancouver Whitecaps of Major League Soccer to English club Middlesbrough for approximately $2 million, according to multiple reports.
Middlesbrough competes in the English Championship, the second tier of English football. Berhalter, 25, is the son of former U.S. men's national team head coach Gregg Berhalter.
The move follows speculation that Berhalter's time in MLS was nearing its end. He was notably absent from the Whitecaps' match against FC Cincinnati on Wednesday night, the same day The Province reported transfer talks were intensifying. The Athletic noted that six to 10 clubs had expressed interest in the midfielder.
Berhalter was in the final year of his contract with the Whitecaps. He has been a significant player for the Vancouver club since joining in 2022 for $50,000 in general allocation money, developing into a key talent. During his tenure, he appeared in 167 matches across all competitions, scoring 20 goals, and was part of squads that reached the MLS Cup final last season and the Concacaf Champions Cup final.
His recent performance includes a spot on the United States' roster for the World Cup, where he played in all five of the USMNT's matches, recording a goal and an assist. He also earned MLS Best XI honors in 2025 and was selected for the MLS All-Star Game this year.
Prior to his time with the Whitecaps, Berhalter played for the Columbus Crew and Austin FC.