Andreas Maxsø won’t return to Rapids, club president Pádraig Smith says

The Great Dane’s time in Colorado is over, and a midfield mainstay may follow suit.

In a news conference on Thursday, Colorado Rapids president Pádraig Smith said center back Andreas Maxsø will leave the club this offseason, the first of what might turn into a series of offseason roster changes. His guaranteed contract was up at the conclusion of this season, but a club option could have kept him in Commerce City through 2026. The decision to part ways was mutual.

Smith said his preferred destination is somewhere in Europe, where the Danish international could be closer to family. Before joining the Rapids, he had a long career in Denmark — and a few short stints elsewhere in Europe — that included a Danish Superliga title in 2021. The Middle East is also on the table — last offseason, there was a rumored move to Saudi Arabia.

Maxsø was by far the most available player on the team since his arrival in 2023. Of a possible 102 regular-season games over the course of three seasons, he started all 99 of his appearances. He played all 90 minutes in all but one of those matches — a 44th-minute exit in an early-2023 win at Sporting Kansas City.

The 31-year-old completed his Colorado tenure with three goals and an assist. Defensively, he wasn’t spectacular — certainly not enough to justify a Designated Player contract upon his arrival and a $1.2 million per year salary. According to American Soccer Analysis, he was the third-worst center back in the league in terms of goals added (-1.2) — an advanced stat that measures a player’s on-ball impact on attacking and defending.

The numbers aren’t much nicer on FBRef. On a positive note, his 6-foot-3, brick-wall frame made his aerial game a plus — he was in the 92nd percentile this season for percentage of aerial duels won. He was in the top 20% in blocked shots and challenges lost. Other than that, he was in the bottom quarter of nearly every other defensive metric FBRef tracks.

Rob Holding, 30, was brought in late this season and now appears to be Maxsø’s replacement. They’re on the same salary and have a lot of the same traits, though Holding is a better passer. Otherwise, the Rapids have a wealth of young options at center back for next season, including Ian Murphy, Noah Cobb (if his purchase option is picked up), Nate Jones and Lucas Herrington, who will join the team this offseason after being signed in August.

Larraz likely to test free agency: Smith also said Rapids midfielder Oliver Larraz may test free agency this offseason with his contract up.

The Denver native burst onto the scene in 2024, winning a starting position in a deep room full of defensive midfielders. A rash of injuries gave Larraz a chance early on in his first season with the first team, but now-former coach Chris Armas couldn’t keep him off the field.

He played at a Best-XI level as a No. 10 with Rapids 2 in 2023, then transitioned to a deeper, more defensive role with the senior team. His adaptability and consistency in that new role were both pluses. Those characteristics are a must in Europe, where he plans to look for a new opportunity.

“I think Oli really wants to look at what his potential is in Europe, and he obviously has every right to do that,” Smith said. “Oli is someone who we highly value as a local kid who’s come up through our academy. They’re the type of players that we like to keep here.”