CARSON, Calif. – After nearly a month of hype, it’s finally official: Giancarlo Maldonado has joined Chivas USA.
The Venezuelan striker put pen to paper on Thursday after training with the Goats for two weeks.
“Giancarlo is an experienced striker with international experience and the ability to score goals," said Chivas USA head coach Martín Vásquez in a statement. "He's going to make us a better team as we head into the second part of this season."
Maldonado is a proven goal-scorer in the Mexican First Division. The 28-year-old scored 32 goals with Atlante from 2007 to 2010, where he won the Apertura 2007 championship, and had notched 27 goals and 21 goals before that, with Maracaibo in Venezuela and C.D. O’Higgins in Chile.
In 2007, he won the Golden Boot of the Americas, which is given to the best South American player, and helped Atlante to the CONCACAF Champions League title in 2009.
“I’m very happy to start this new phase in my career, and I’m very grateful to the Chivas USA organization for their trust and for giving me the opportunity,” said Maldonado. “I’m very excited to start playing.”
Maldonado also boasts seven years of international experience, getting his first cap with Venezuela in a friendly against Haiti in August 2003. He went gone on to become Venezuela’s all-time leading goalscorer, having pulled down 19 goals in 48 appearances.
Pending the successful receipt of his International Transfer Certificate, Maldonado will be eligible to play for Chivas USA on July 15, just time for the first game of the 2010 SuperLiga. The Red-and-White will be glad for his services. The team has scored just 15 goals in 14 matches, the lowest mark in the Western Conference.
