SANDY, Utah – Real Salt Lake are at a critical point in their season, and all they want is a burrito.
On Thursday, RSL announced the signing of their newest Designated Player, Juan Manuel Martinez, otherwise known as “El Burrito,” from Argentine powerhouse Boca Juniors. The signing couldn’t have come at a better time. RSL have suffered a series of tough results recently, and the team is hopeful that Martinez’s addition can provide immediate results and get them back on the right track.
RSL head coach Jeff Cassar said after practice that the team expects Martinez to arrive on either Thursday or Friday and get right to work. Cassar wouldn’t say whether Martinez would be immediately available for selection, however, he is confident that his intelligence and experience will allow him to acclimate quickly.
“I think experience has a lot to do with it and him playing at such a high level,” Cassar said. “He’s an intelligent player. He’s a technical player. There’s nothing really lacking in his game except for really now just getting here and meeting his teammates and trying to get on the same page. He’s a very, very smart player. The little things might take a little bit of time, but I think he’ll grasp a lot of it right away.”
RSL currently sit six points out of the final playoff spot in the Western Conference and have been struggling to get any positive results following their fourth straight defeat (across all competitions) Saturday against the Portland Timbers. After trading away forward Alvaro Saborio to D.C. United in July, there has been a significant hole in the attack. Martinez traditionally plays on the right wing and is known for his speed and technical ability.
RSL midfielder Luke Mulholland spoke after practice Tuesday about the transition that awaits Martinez in coming to a league like Major League Soccer.
- Check out more RSL news at RealSaltLake.com
“For him, obviously coming from a different country, it’s a different style of play," Mulholland said. "It’s just going to depend on him, how well he can adapt and whether he’s watched MLS games before. Hopefully it doesn’t take him too long, we’ve not got too much left of the season.
"We’d love for him to come in and make an impact right away. It all depends on the player, but we’ve got belief in the coaches and belief in the talent that they bring in and that he’s got the quality to adapt and he’ll be able to adapt within the next month.”
Martinez has had a decorated career playing for several clubs throughout South America. In 2010, he was even named Argentina’s footballer of the year along with Lionel Messi. With Boca Juniors, he was credited with 10 goals across 58 appearances.
