LAFC filled its third and final designated player on Tuesday.
By Ivan Yeo
LAFC has filled its third and final designated player slot.
On Tuesday, LAFC made official what had been rumored for nearly a month. LAFC officially announced the signing of Portuguese midfielder Andre Horta. The 21-year-old is expected to join the club pending receipt of his International Transfer Certificate (ITC) and P-1 Visa.
“André is a technically gifted player with enormous versatility,” said LAFC Head Coach Bob Bradley. “He is young and dynamic, and with his experience in Portugal we believe he will continue to develop into a top-class player.”
Horta is considered a promising player in Portugal’s youth system, as he has made 22 appearances for the Portuguese youth teams. At the club level, Horta has been with Benfica’s youth teams, then signing his first professional contract with Vitoria FC in 2014, where he made 38 appearances. Horta then officially joined Benfica in 2016, where he made 10 appearances. Recently, Horta has been on loan to Braga, where he has made 15 appearances.
“André is a player we identified quite some time ago as someone we felt would be the right fit for LAFC,” said LAFC EVP of Soccer Operations and General Manager John Thorrington. “We are grateful for the support of ownership, and the acquisition of Andre is yet another statement of the type of club and team we are building. It is rare, if not unprecedented, for a player of his age, pedigree, and options to join MLS, and we know he will make our city and fans proud.”
The signing of Horta means that LAFC’s three designated players are filled, with the other two slots going to strikers Carlos Vela and Diego Rossi. LAFC will most likely have to use Allocation money and Targeted Allocation Money (TAM) for any future roster moves.
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