The Portland Timbers announced that they have acquired midfielder Cole Bassett from the Colorado Rapids for $2.65 million.
The agreement includes up to $950,000 in additional performance-based incentives and allows Colorado to retain a percentage of future transactions or transfers if Bassett sells at or above a certain valuation. Bassett will enter the U22 Initiative in 2026 and is contracted with the Trail Blazers through the 2027 season.
Bassett, 24, arrives after seven seasons with the Rapids, where he developed into one of the club’s most consistent midfield contributors. A Colorado native and homegrown signee, he made 157 appearances for the Rapids, scoring 31 goals and 23 assists. From 2019 to 2021, he was selected to the Major League Soccer Under-22 22-man team for three consecutive years, reaching his peak in 2021, ranking 10th.
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In the 2024 season, Bassett set career highs with nine goals and seven assists, leading Colorado to seventh place in the Western Conference. He then made 28 appearances in the 2025 season, scoring 3 goals and assisting 4 times.
Portland considers Bassett a top option in the midfield, valued for his energy, late bursts into the paint and ability to contribute at both ends of the floor. The move also adds domestic depth and flexibility to the Timbers’ squad ahead of the upcoming season.
At the international level, Bassett has represented the U.S. youth teams and made his national team debut in December 2021, scoring the winning goal against Bosnia and Herzegovina.