Austin FC announced Friday the transfer of Sebastián Driussi to his boyhood club, Argentine giants River Plate. Driussi scored the most goals in Austin FC's brief history with 51.
Driussi joined Austin FC in the middle of its first season, from Russian club Zenit St. Petersburg. Austin paid a transfer fee reported to be north of $6 million.
The high point of his time in Austin came in 2022, when Driussi scored 22 goals and finished in second place in voting for the MLS MVP award. Not so coincidentally, the team had its best season, making it to the Western Conference Final. Driussi also became Austin FC's first league All Star.
Sources: River Plate have completed the deal to sign Sebastian Driussi from Austin FC.
— Tom Bogert (@tombogert) January 17, 2025
Austin will receive $10 million fee + 8.5% sell-on clause. https://t.co/ecgsBdZOrc
“Sebastián leaves Austin FC having made a tremendous impact on this Club during his three-and-a-half years here,” said Austin FC Sporting Director Rodolfo Borrell in a statement. “We wish him and his family nothing but the best as they return to Argentina. He will always be welcomed with open arms in Austin.”
River Plate will pay Austin a reported transfer fee of $10 million to bring Driussi back home to the Monumental.
Why did the club sell Driussi?
Rumors of Driussi's departure from Austin are not new. He has been connected to returns to Europe and Argentina in the past, but none of them materialized.
Following his impressive 2022, the club extended his contract and made him its captain, but he couldn’t follow up his MVP contender performance in the years since the extension. He scored 18 goals in the two years since he signed the extension, and Austin FC missed the playoffs in both years.

Intrigue over Driussi's status built up over the last few weeks. He missed the start of pre-season training this year, electing to stay in Argentina while the details of his transfer were negotiated between the two clubs. He did not have permission from the team to remain in Argentina, and the club fined him for every day he missed while under contract for Austin FC.
What does this mean for Austin?
Austin FC will look near unrecognizable when the MLS season kicks off next month. The club first let go of Josh Wolff, the coach who led the club since its inception, ahead of their season finale last year. That was followed by the release of Alex Ring, the club's first captain. Now, the departure of Driussi puts the final nail in the coffin the first version of the Verde and Black.
Of the pillars of that first version of Austin FC, only goalkeeper Brad Stuver remains. The club will be led by former FC Dallas head coach Nico Estévez, who was hired early in the offseason. He brings years of experience coaching in MLS and as an assistant with the U.S. Men's National Team.
The club announced the club-record signing of striker Brandon Vázquez last week. At 26, he is in his athletic prime and brings years of consistent scoring output in MLS and the Mexican Liga MX, having scored 14 goals for CF Monterrey last year and 17 goals for FC Cincinnati the year before. He will partner with Osman Bukari to lead a new-look attack for Austin FC.