This had always been the plan.

When Kobi Henry spurned MLS interest to sign for USL Club Orange County SC, he did so not merely for more playing time, nor the Southern California weather. Rather, his move was made on an agreement, one set up by his agent Brad Friedel, that the center back would end up in Europe within a few years.

And now, that plan has come to fruition; OCSC and Ligue 1 club Stade de Reims agreed on a deal that could reach $1 million for the 18-year old center back.

“This is a very important moment for us as a club, a very important moment for the league as a whole,” OCSC General Manager Oliver Wyss said. “And it shows that there are top talent players within the United States and specifically in the USL championship ecosystem.”

The initial fee of $700,000 is the largest in USL history, and follows a flurry of recent transfers from the U.S.’ second tier of soccer to professional clubs. It’s also the fourth deal that OCSC has agreed with a professional side in the last two years. But Henry’s is different, an alteration that can be attributed to more than the hefty fee.

The center back is joining a team with excellent pedigree, one that is enjoying an extended run in one of the best leagues in the sport. Reims was playing European football as recently as 2021 and took points away from Champions League qualifiers en route to a 12th place finish in France’s top flight. It’s also a team notorious for its trust in youth, having fielded 10 teenagers in Ligue 1 last year.

For Henry, the move is a follow up on a promise made two years ago. After playing his youth soccer in Florida with the Inter Miami academy, Henry opted to take a different route. Encouraged by his parents — his mother took a job as a teacher in Southern California — Henry moved across the country for professional experience. A talented, athletic center back, Henry had the profile of a player whose ambitions could take him far in the professional game, perhaps beyond the borders of North America. OCSC agreed, promising to bed the youngster into the team while also helping him develop into a European-level prospect.

The Florida native established himself as a regular at OCSC during his second season at the club, and earned his first USMNT call up last November, at just 17. Everything was on track, and European clubs started to sniff around. Henry went on trial at Reims in December, impressing while other teams kept a watchful eye.

After Henry celebrated his 18th birthday back on April 26, the flirtations turned into genuine offers. OCSC was spoiled for choice, Wyss said. They fielded numerous offers for the defender, working in conjunction with Friedel and various clubs across Europe to find the right deal for all parties.

But the club wouldn't sell immediately. Negotiations hinged on the right sell-on clause. Though Wyss declined to comment on the exact figure, similar deals for teenage talents have featured clauses of up to 20 percent, which could well land OCSC a sizable chunk of cash should Henry be flipped to a bigger club.

“It's really the transfer percentage that will ultimately give us a much much bigger return of investment, that will allow us to put that money into the next young players into a better club and a better structure,” Wyss said.

Meanwhile, the center back will have the chance to prove himself in one of Europe’s best leagues. Reims has a reputation for giving its youth a try, often opting to let talent learn the system rather than send young players to the far corners of Europe or to second-tier sides. It’s a model that’s kept them in Ligue 1 for five years straight. And it’s also helped drive a profit, as the club has steadily netted solid fees by sending its developed talent to bigger clubs.

“I know that the club is known for pushing on young talent and giving young talent opportunities with the first team,” Henry said. “I'm just very interested to see how I’ll be when I get there and, and to learn on the way.”

There will, in all likelihood, be some key adaptations to make. The European game is notably quicker than in the U.S., and Henry will certainly have to adjust tactically to a different system. Still, based on the rapid rate of his development thus far, it seems everything is set up for Henry to settle in.

And there might just be some more USL stars to follow over the coming years.

“You can be assured this is not the last time you will hear of Kobi Henry,” Wyss said.