Middlesbrough is finalizing a deal to sign U.S. national team midfielder Sebastian Berhalter from the Vancouver Whitecaps, sources briefed on the deal tell The Athletic.
Berhalter, who is out of contract this winter, will make the move during the summer transfer window. Boro will pay a fee in the region of $2 million, sources say, rather than Berhalter walking for free in the winter. Around 6-10 clubs seriously pursued Berhalter this summer, sources add.
He was held out of the Whitecaps’ 4-3 loss to FC Cincinnati on Wednesday night as the deal advanced.
Berhalter, 25, featured for the United States at the World Cup this summer. He appeared in all five U.S. matches (one start) and scored with a powerful strike vs. Turkey in the group stage, while adding an assist. He was named to the MLS Best XI in 2025 and has been one of the league’s best midfielders again in 2026, earning All-Star recognition.
Berhalter had five goals and 13 assists across all competitions from a box-to-box midfield role last season. He helped lead the Whitecaps to the Canadian Championship title, as well as helping guide the club to both MLS Cup final and the Concacaf Champions Cup final.
The son of former USMNT head coach Gregg Berhalter, Sebastian made his national team debut under Mauricio Pochettino in the summer of 2025 and played his way onto the World Cup squad. He has 18 caps.
Berhalter joins fellow American midfielder Aidan Morris at Boro. Morris and Berhalter are close friends and former youth teammates from their days with the Columbus Crew.
Boro has been active around the American market, signing Morris as well as former Charlotte FC defender Adilson Malanda. The club had a bid rejected last year by the Crew for American wingback Max Arfsten.
Berhalter’s rise was one of the most pleasant stories in MLS over recent years. He was initially acquired by the Whitecaps for a nominal fee of $50,000 in general allocation money (a salary cap mechanism in MLS) in 2022. That is the smallest denomination of GAM that can be traded.
Since then, he developed into one of the league’s best midfielders, a World Cup player and, soon, one to debut in the Championship.
