Reports: Rapids close to adding center back Stav Lemkin

COMMERCE CITY — The Colorado Rapids are already prepping for next month’s transfer window with a new addition of Israeli center back Stav Lemkin.

Multiple outlets, including The Denver Post’s Braidon Nourse, reported Monday that Colorado is close to acquiring 22-year-old Israeli center back Stav Lemkin for a transfer fee of $1.6 million. The move would bolster the back line while bringing the average age at the position down considerably.

Burgundy Wave could not immediately confirm the report at time of publishing, but there’s no reason to doubt Nourse nor Tom Bogert, who initially confirmed the pending move.

Currently, Lemkin is on loan with Israel Premier League side Maccabi Tel Aviv. He was sold to Shakhtar Donetsk (Ukrainian Premier League) for €850,000 in the summer of 2023 from Hapoel Tel Aviv, the club whom he made his professional debut with and broke through with. Israeli outlets reported that Macabbi Tel Aviv tried to acquire Lemkin on a permanent basis, however, Colorado was able to meet the $1.6 million fee and will make the move to the States.

Lemkin initially signed with Shakhtar Donetsk through June of 2028. His loan with Maccabi Tel Aviv will expire at the end of June, which would perfectly line up for a long-enough break ahead of MLS’ July 24th window opening.

Who is Stav Lemkin?

Lemkin is got his start at Hapoel Tel Aviv, playing for their under-19s before making his debut in 2022. He is listed at just under 6-foot-3 but for a 22-year-old, has a very respectable résume. He has played for Israel at virtually every age level, including some major under-age tournaments where he shone brightly including the Under-21 UEFA Euros, the FIFA U-20 World Cup, last year’s Olympic tournament and now, the senior team where he has three caps.

He starred for that U-20 side at the World Cup where Israel reached the semifinals before losing to eventual champions Uruguay.

At club level, he has made 5 UEFA Europa League appearances for Maccabi Tel Aviv.

Who could go this summer?

The upcoming move would give Colorado’s front office plenty of time to sort out its center back predicament. Andreas Maxsø is 31 and while has been admirable since coming in the winter of 2022, it’s also been a period of major ups and downs at the back line.

Given the roster turnover that’s already happened in the last offseason with the additions of Chidozie Awaziem and Ian Murphy, plus, what is to come (18-year-old Lucas Herrington), it could mean the departure of the Great Dane. There was a considerable amount of interest during the winter from the Saudi Premier League, and, given its seemingly unlimited amount of resources and luxurious contracts, if they come in, or a different club back in Europe, there’s a world where you could see the Rapids moving on from Maxsø.

Is this the first domino of the window?

That’s the big question, but it feels like it. Colorado currently sit in ninth place on 22 points. Zack Steffen, the club confirmed Tuesday, will miss the next 4-6 weeks after he underwent successful surgery “to address an injury to his right medial meniscus.” He suffered the injury during U.S. Men’s National Team camp in Chicago last week.

Given that the No. 1 will be out, plus, there are also additional injuries, it would make sense to take stock of the season and possibly wriggle out of bad contracts. What this means for elsewhere on the pitch remains to be seen. Still, adding Lemkin into the fold will bring a few more questions than answers for the next few weeks until club president Pádraig Smith can break down the move and we get more clarity on Lemkin and the future of the center back position.