University of Denver center back Kortne Ford said he is in discussion with the Colorado Rapids, but declined to comment further about his plans for next year.

“We have a pretty good relationship and I look forward to playing with them (the Rapids) in the future,” Ford said last week.

Ford, a 6-foot-2 junior from Greeley, came up through the Rapids youth academy playing on their U-16 and U-18 teams. He was a three-year starter for the Pioneers, helping them to back-to-back unbeaten regular seasons in 2015-16.

“I’m biased, but I haven’t seen a better center back come out of college soccer here in five or six years,” Denver Pioneers coach Jamie Franks said. “That’s what we thought he could be and he’s lived up to the expectations.”

Ford scored the game-winning goal that sent the Pioneers to their first-ever College Cup appearance earlier this month. It was one of five goals he scored this year.

“He wants to make this game a profession and that’s the way he approaches it every day,” Franks said. “His mentality is special and he’s a tough kid.”

The Rapids have money to spend on homegrown signings. In December 2015, MLS announced it was providing $125,000 per season, per club to sign homegrown players to their supplemental roster. The money can’t be rolled over year-to-year and it can’t be traded, a league spokesperson said.

Colorado on Sunday offloaded center back Joe Greenspan to Minnesota United in exchange for a third-round pick. Asked on Sunday if the Rapids had any homegrown signings coming this week, a team spokesperson said he didn’t have any news.

“He’s a piece that you can get excited about with the Rapids,” Colorado defender Jared Watts said last week. “They’ve kind of brought him through the youth system and the academy team. Hopefully maybe one day he’ll be a teammate with me.”

Ford, who turns 21 next month, has trained with the Rapids’ first team off and on since he was about 18, prior to his decision to attend DU, and he trained with the club as recently as this summer.

“We do a really good job of making sure that when I am in the offseason mainly that I am getting in there and getting touches and staying up to date with the culture and the guys,” Ford said. Related Articles September 23, 2020 19-year-old Cole Bassett, Jonathan Lewis help Rapids beat Earthquakes 5-0

September 21, 2020 Rising Rapids midfielder Cole Bassett taking next step in promising career

September 20, 2020 Bassett, Lewis goals lift Colorado Rapids past LA Galaxy 2-0

September 18, 2020 Colorado Rapids will be allowed to host fans at upcoming matches at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park

September 18, 2020 Why the Colorado Rapids traded Kei Kamara: “It was time to go our separate ways”

Ford still has one year of NCAA eligibility and could opt to return to the Pioneers, who were eliminated from the College Cup on Friday in extra time by Wake Forest.

“When we first saw him, he kind of looked like a Bambi deer,” Franks said. “He was just getting used to his legs and his athleticism and still getting his feet under him. Over the past three years we’ve kind of taught him the position a little bit more and made him understand when to use his skill set — and that’s his athleticism — and above everything else, he’s a leader by example.”

Watts said he’s been able to watch Ford’s growth over the last three years as he’s trained with the Rapids.

“I remember when I first came into the league, he was training with us and I remember him deciding that he was going to go to Denver. I was really pumped for him,” Watts said. “And he was young and he was still training with us. You could just kind of tell his raw ability, his athleticism, his tenacity in different tackles. It’s been cool to see him kind of develop over the last three years.”