HOUSTON — After striking a loan deal last week for forward Carlo Costly, the Houston Dynamo reinforced their central midfield with the signing of Brazilian Luiz Camargo on Tuesday.
While terms of the deal were not disclosed, MLSsoccer.com confirmed that, like Costly, Camargo is coming to Houston on loan.
The 24-year-old joins the Dynamo from Clube Paraná, who currently sit in fourth place in the Brazilian second division, and has the characteristics of being able to contribute on both sides of the ball. His first day to participate in team activities is dependent on the approval of his P-1 visa and obtaining an international transfer certificate.
The move makes sense on a few levels for Houston. The club has undergone significant personnel changes with trades and injuries affecting the club in recent weeks. With the team keen to reinforce its roster, bringing the Brazilian into the fold was an easy decision.
“I liked the way he played when I saw him,” said Dynamo head coach Dominic Kinnear, who first saw Camargo during a scouting trip to Brazil in January. “He can play in central midfield and gives us some options and flexibility in there.”
Kinnear was impressed with the midfielder’s work rate and versatility during his time in South America, but Houston were unable to strike a deal with the 5-foot-9 Brazilian. Camargo resurfaced on Houston’s radar within the last month and, still seeking reinforcements, the club pounced on the opportunity to add another quality player.
“He has pace and can close down space and uses the ball well,” Kinnear said. “He was very good in man-to-man marking and I liked the way he played the game. He kept the ball and played very simple.”
From Kinnear’s comments, the midfielder should be able to provide Houston with another option in the center of the pitch who can be effective playing in defense and can contribute in the attack.
The move to bring a versatile player like Camargo to Houston provides depth at a position that currently is short on numbers.
Camargo joins a midfield that includes Adam Moffat, Geoff Cameron and Je-Vaughn Watson. When examining the group, there is a combination of players who can provide different skill sets with players who can break up play and go forward. The diverse group provides Kinnear & Co. with room to mix and match.
“I think he’ll be a good addition to the team with a lot of games coming up,” Kinnear said. “If he brings what we saw in Brazil here, I think he’ll be a nice addition.”
Darrell Lovell covers the Houston Dynamo for MLSsoccer.com. Follow him on twitter at @Dynamoexaminer.
