Aidan Morris, former CanMNT member, is leaving Columbus for Middlesboro

John Herdman really wanted bi-national Aidan Morris to play for Canada. Now the U.S. men’s national team midfielder is heading to northeast England. It’s funny how football works sometimes, right?

As first reported by MLS Woj Tom Bogert of The Athletic, Morris will join English League Championship side Middlesbrough for a fee of approximately $4 million (£3.14 million).

The Columbus Crew midfielder was a breakout star in last year’s MLS Cup and earned his first international cap by choosing USMNT over CanMNT.

The Athletic reports that a contract will not be signed until Morris plays his final game for the Crew, which will be a farewell for the player and Columbus fans. The 22-year-old has made 102 first-team appearances for the Crew and has two MLS Cup rings.

Last season, Middlesborough just missed out on qualifying for the play-offs, finishing eighth in the league championship under former Manchester United star Michael Carrick.

There have been a lot of changes in Columbus this month. Former Toronto FC general manager Tim Bezbatchenko, who was the mastermind behind the team’s last two MLS Cup triumphs, has left the club to work for the sports management group that owns Premier League club Bournemouth.

So there is one less Canadian story that could ignite the competition for the manufactured Trillium Cup between The Crew and TFC.