The Houston Dynamo have completed the signing of 22-year-old attacking midfielder Tomas Martinez as a Young Designated Player from Portuguese Primeira Liga club SC Braga, continuing coach Wilmer Cabrera's youth movement.
Martinez, a product of storied Buenos Aires club River Plate who has international experience for Argentina, joins 21-year-old Alberth Elis and 24-year-old Erick Torres to complete one of the youngest DP trios in Major League Soccer (average age 22.3 years). Houston's eight international players overall average 24.5 years old.
The signing is still pending the receipt of a P-1 Visa and International Transfer Certificate.
Martínez leaves Braga in part because of a clash of his skill set with coach Abel Ferreira's 4-4-2 system, according to Portuguese publication The Record.
In Houston, Cabrera has primarily employed a 4-3-3, though he has toggled formations at times.
Martinez has played as a full professional in Argentina, Spain and Portugal, but his best moments so far may have come as a youth international. In 2015, he wore the famous No. 10 shirt for Argentina's U-20 side, helping them win the South American Youth Football Championship to earn a spot in the 2015 U-20 FIFA World Cup and 2016 Summer Olympics.
Houston Dynamo |
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<strong>ROSTERED PLAYERS (27 of 30 spots filled as of July 17, 2017):</strong> |
<p><strong>GK (3):</strong> Calle Brown, Tyler Deric (HG), Joe Willis<br><strong>DEF (9):</strong> Jalil Anibaba, DaMarcus Beasley, A.J. DeLaGarza, Kevin Garcia, Taylor Hunter, Leonardo, Adolfo Machado (INT'L), George Malki, Dylan Remick<br><strong>MID (12):</strong> Alex, Eric Alexander, Juan David Cabezas (INT'L), Ricardo Clark, Jose Escalante (INT'L, <em>on loan</em>), Boniek Garcia, Joseph Holland (INT'L), Christian Lucatero (HG, <em>on loan</em>), Tomas Martinez (DP, INT'L), Memo Rodriguez (HG), Charlie Ward (INT'L), Andrew Wenger<br><strong>FWD (5):</strong> Alberth Elis (DP, INT'L), Mauro Manotas (INT'L), Romell Quioto (INT'L), Vicente Sanchez, Erick Torres (DP, INT'L)</p><p><strong>DESIGNATED PLAYERS (DP):</strong> 3<br><strong>HOMEGROWN PLAYERS (HG):</strong> 3<br><strong>INT'L ROSTER SPOTS FILLED (INT'L):</strong> 8 of 8<br><strong>GENERATION ADIDAS PLAYERS (GA):</strong> 0<br><strong>ON LOAN:</strong> Jose Escalante, Christian Lucatero</p> |
