Transfer of Australian defender Kye Rowles is a ‘good deal’: Socceroo heads to US

A Socceroos defender and one of the A-League’s most exciting young attackers are moving to the United States.

Socceroos defender Kye Rowles is leaving Scotland for a stint in America’s Major League Soccer competition, where he is set to go head-to-head with boom Macarthur FC youngster Ariath Piol.

After a 2½-year spell with Scottish Premiership club Hearts, Rowles, 26, is joining DC United.

Rowles, who has made 103 appearances in all competitions for Hearts, was an unused substitute for the Jambos in their 0-0 draw at Aberdeen on Monday morning (AEDT).

After the match, Hearts manager Neil Critchley said he expected the transfer, worth a reported 600,000 pounds ($A1.18m), to be completed within “48 hours”.

“We don’t want to lose our best players, but also we understand that it’s something that he might want to pursue and it could be a good deal for the club as well,” Critchley said.

Socceroos defender Kye Rowles is heading to America from Scotland. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

Set to join Rowles in the US is 20-year-old Bulls attacker Piol.

NewsWire revealed last week that Piol was wanted by French club Troyes, Swiss outfit St Gallen and an MLS team.

That MLS side can now be confirmed as Real Salt Lake, who have won the battle to sign Piol in a deal worth more to Macarthur than the 500,000 euros ($A828,565) offered by Troyes.

Piol is close to finalising personal terms with Real Salt Lake, whose 2024 squad included former Adelaide United and Western Sydney Wanderers winger Lachlan Brook.

Elsewhere, defender Alex Popovic’s future remains uncertain beyond this month’s completion of his loan deal to Sydney FC from South Korean club Gwangju.

It’s understood Sydney is keen to keep Popovic but a new agreement is yet to be settled upon.

Meanwhile, former Sky Blues goalkeeper Thomas Heward-Belle, who lost his spot in Western United’s top team due to the form of Matt Sutton, is wanted by two clubs in Asia.

Ariath Piol is set to leave Macarthur FC for Real Salt Lake. Picture: Brendon Thorne/Getty Images

It’s also believed that Perth Glory want to sign attacking midfielder Christian Theoharous from the Central Coast Mariners.

With the transfer window opening on Thursday, the battling Glory is set to confirm the signings of Japanese defenders Yuto Misao and Takuya Okamoto and former Central Coast, Melbourne City and Western United attacking weapon Lachie Wales, while striker Pat Wood is also set to join Perth on loan from Sydney FC.

Cellars dwellers Brisbane Roar are interested in the services of Western United striker Michael Ruhs as they bid to fill the void left by teenage attacker Thomas Waddingham, who has signed with English Championship club Portsmouth for a fee understood to be about 200,000 pounds ($A394,500).

Originally published as Transfer of Australian defender Kye Rowles is a ‘good deal’: Socceroo heads to US