The Portland Timbers announced on Thursday that the club has signed forward Frédéric Piquionne to a one-year contract. He will be added to the roster pending the receipt of his International Transfer Certificate (ITC) and a P-1 visa, and will occupy an international slot on the Timbers roster.
Piquionne, 34, joins the Timbers after playing the last three seasons in England, including two seasons in the Premier League with Portsmouth (2009-10) and West Ham United (2010-11). His career includes eight seasons (2001-09) in France’s top-flight Ligue 1, playing in more than 200 matches and scoring more than 50 goals with clubs Rennes, Saint-Étienne, AS Monaco and Lyon.
He spent time on trial with the Timbers during preseason and played in two matches during the club’s preseason tournament.
"Frédéric made a strong impression during his trial and gives us another quality piece in the striker position,” Timbers head coach Caleb Porter said in a statement. “He is a proven professional at a high level and helps our depth with Bright Dike out. We are very pleased about this addition to our club."
READ: 2013 Portland Timbers season preview: New face, same high expectations
Born in New Caledonia, Piquionne started his professional career with French side Nîmes in 2000-01. He then joined first-division club Rennes the following season and became one of its top scoring threats, leading the club with 10 goals during the 2002-03 campaign. With Saint-Étienne, Piquionne tallied 23 goals over 89 matches from 2004-07. He joined Lyon for the 2008-09 season and scored a goal in his UEFA Champions League debut on Sept. 17, 2008.
Piquionne made the move to England ahead of the 2009-10 season, joining Premier League club Portsmouth on loan from Lyon. He scored 11 goals across all competitions for Portsmouth, including three goals in FA Cup play to help the club reach the cup final that season. He spent two seasons at West Ham United, where he notched eight goals in 54 matches. Additionally, he scored two goals in eight games during a loan spell with Championship side Doncaster Rovers during the 2011-12 season.
Prior to his professional career, Piquionne lived and played soccer on the Caribbean island of Martinique, and has represented the country on multiple occasions at the international level. He recently helped the Martinique National Team qualify for the 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup with a top-four finish in the 2012 Caribbean Cup. He finished as one of the tournament’s top scorers with two goals in five games.
