90min
·20 March 2024
90min
·20 March 2024
Portland Timbers have added to their frontline with the signing of Jonathan "Cabecita" Rodriguez from Concacaf giants Club America.
Rodriguez joins the Western Conference club as on a three-year deal through the 2026 MLS campaign with an option for the following season. The 30-year-old becomes Portland's second Designated Player alongside Brazilian playmaker Evander.
The Timbers managed to land the versatile forward -- who typically plays on the left-wing but can also be deployed on the right or up front -- for a fee of just under $5m, according to Tom Bogert of The Athletic.
"We are delighted to announce the signing of Jonathan Rodriguez, and we are pleased to welcome him and his family to the Rose City. Adding an established, high-level attacking player to our group was vital in our ambitions to strengthen our position and aim to contend once again," Timbers general manager Ned Grabavoy said in a release.
"Jonathan's accomplishments as a player speak for themselves – he will provide us a constant attacking threat and has consistently scored goals throughout his career. We are eager to integrate him into the team, and we believe he can make an immediate impact."
Rodriguez makes the move to Major League Soccer after spending a large chunk of his career in Liga MX, where he notched 50 goals and seven assists in 117 appearances for the likes of Club America, Cruz Azul and Santos Laguna. The Uruguay international also had brief stints in La Liga with Deportivo La Coruna and also with Al Nassr in the Saudi Pro League.
Rodriguez's career started in out with Atletico Penarol in his home country, where he recorded 20 goals and 11 assists in 49 appearances before departing in January 2015 for Benfica.
"We've been looking for a player with the right profile, personality, and character to fit within our team. Jonathan is a winner that has great experience playing at the highest level and we believe he will come in and give the club a massive lift. I'm excited to welcome him to the team and get to work," Timbers head coach Phil Neville said in a release.
Neville appears to have finally got the "top, top DP" he was wishing for weeks before the season began with Portland two of their first four games of the campaign.
The Timbers hope to have Rodriguez in the squad for their upcoming match against Eastern Conference powerhouse Philadelphia Union this Saturday at Providence Park.