TRANSFER TRACKER STATUS: Trade
- ATX receive: Jayden Nelson
- VAN receive: $1.25m GAM, SuperDraft pick
Austin FC have acquired forward Jayden Nelson in a trade with Vancouver Whitecaps FC, the clubs announced Thursday.
In exchange for the 23-year-old Canadian international, Vancouver receive $700,000 in 2026 General Allocation Money (GAM), $550,000 in 2027 GAM and Austin's first-round pick (No. 17 overall) in the 2026 MLS SuperDraft.
“First and foremost, we are extremely grateful to Jayden for his time at the club. He played a key role in our historic season, and we wish him every success in the next chapter of his career,” said Vancouver sporting director Axel Schuster.
“This move ultimately benefits all parties. It gives Jayden an excellent opportunity to earn regular minutes and continue pursuing his dream of playing a World Cup on home soil.
"From our club’s perspective, we have several quality players in similar positions, and the allocation money acquired will be reinvested to further strengthen our squad as we continue pushing toward new heights in 2026."
After emerging as a Toronto FC homegrown player from 2020-22, Nelson returned to MLS in 2025 with Vancouver. He netted 3g/11a in 40 matches across all competitions while helping Vancouver win a fourth straight Canadian Championship, and reach the Concacaf Champions Cup final and MLS Cup presented by Audi.
Internationally, Nelson has two goals in 12 caps for Canada. He's eyeing a 2026 FIFA World Cup roster spot.
Last year, Austin qualified for the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2022. In their first season under head coach Nico Estévez, they finished sixth in the Western Conference (47 points) before falling against LAFC in a Round One Best-of-3 Series.
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