Tajon Buchanan’s transfer from the Revolution to Club Brugge KV in Belgium took months to unfold.
As the 22-year-old enjoyed a breakout third season with the Revolution, followed by a strong showing for Canada during July’s Gold Cup, conversations ramped up as European clubs coveted the versatile midfielder.
Buchanan had his sights set on Brugge all along, saying the club felt like a family from the beginning. After skipping Wednesday’s MLS All-Star game for a visit to Belgium, Buchanan finalized the record-setting $7 million transfer deal Tuesday.
“I thought about it over the last months, to be honest, this wasn’t just a week or two thing,” Buchanan said Friday. “I’ve been thinking about my future for a very long time. And since the beginning, Club Brugge just felt like a family that I wanted to join.”
Buchanan will remain with the Revolution on loan for the remainder of the season before joining Brugge during the January transfer window.
A Brampton, Ontario, native, Buchanan has taken a unique path to soccer stardom. In high school, the overlooked Buchanan transferred to Legacy High School in Colorado to improve his collegiate prospects and academic standing in time to enroll at Syracuse.
But after the Revolution drafted him ninth overall in the 2019 SuperDraft, Buchanan appeared in just 10 matches as a rookie and did not become a full-time starter until last September.
Buchanan took a massive leap in Year 3, ranking third on the Revolution with six goals and becoming a staple in the club’s midfield.
“I think that’s my mentality: to keep wanting to get better as a player, to keep pushing myself no matter what team I was on, whether that was Syracuse University or coming here as a rookie, and then just taking another step forward last year in my second season and obviously another bigger step this year,” Buchanan said.
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On Thursday, Buchanan’s monumental week continued when he was called in to the Canadian National Team for three World Cup Qualifying matches on Sept. 2, Sept. 5, and Sept. 8.
Even with his career rising to new heights, Buchanan acknowledged he still has unfinished business with the MLS-leading Revolution. Buchanan hopes to add an MLS Cup to his resume before he embarks for Belgium.
“You know realistically, this is my last year here so I’m trying to win everything that’s possible: Supporters’ Shield, Eastern Conference, and MLS Cup,” said Buchanan. “I’m super excited and super happy at the same time. I’m ready to finish the season on a strong note and then head over there [to Club Brugge] and try and do bigger things.”