Houston Dynamo FC completed the transfer of forward Thorleifur Úlfarsson to Debreceni VSC in Hungary, both clubs announced today. The Dynamo will keep a percentage of a future sell on as part of the transaction. Houston selected the now 23-year-old with the fourth overall pick in the 2022 MLS SuperDraft out of Duke University.
“We would like to thank Thor for his contributions to the Houston Dynamo organization and we wish him the best in the next chapter of his career,” said General Manager Pat Onstad. “We have ambitions to be a club that helps young players advance their careers. For Thor to progress from a college draft pick to being sold to a European club competing for a spot in UEFA competitions in two seasons is a step in the right direction for our growth as a developmental club.”
The Iceland native made 49 appearances and 12 starts in the regular season over the last two years, as well as three postseason appearances (22 minutes) in the most recent run to the Western Conference Final. Úlfarsson recorded seven goals and two assists over the course of 1,655 regular-season minutes with Houston. He made his debut with the first team on Feb. 27, 2022, as a substitute against Real Salt Lake.
Debreceni VSC is a Hungarian professional football club based in Debrecen, the second-largest city in the country. The club competes in the Nemzeti Bajnokság I, the first tier of Hungarian football. Debrecen have become the most successful club in Hungary since 2000, winning the Hungarian League seven times. The club is best known internationally for reaching the group stages of the UEFA Champions League in the 2009-10 season.
