TRANSFER TRACKER STATUS:Signing
The Houston Dynamo have signed 21-year-old Venezuelan defender Alejandro Fuenmayor
Fuenmayor already has several professional years under his belt after making his professional debut as a 17-year-old for Carabobo in 2013. He emerged as a regular for the side in league play in 2017, the same year they qualified for their first ever Copa Libertadores, and was awarded a place in the Venezuelan Primera Division's Best XI.
Fuenmayor will join the Dynamo pending receipt of his International Transfer Certificate (ITC) and P1 Visa.
“Alejandro is a young and talented defender who at just 21 years old has already played over 70 professional first team matches,” Dynamo VP and GM Matt Jordan said in a statement. “We are confident that he has the quality as a player and the mentality as a professional to grow and develop with our club. He is a welcomed addition to the Houston Dynamo and will strengthen our back line right away.”
The young defender has made 72 appearances and scored two goals across all competitions for Carabobo FC, and in 2016 and 2017 helped them to the top of Venezuela’s Primera Division. Fuenmayor was a key part of one of the best defenses in Venezuela during that time period, one that allowed just 37 goals combined in the 2016 Apertura and Clausura, the second-fewest in the league. In 2017, and Carabobo's defense was the stingiest in the Apertura and Clausura campaigns, conceding just 25 goals combined.
Fuenmayor earned Venezuelan Primera División Best XI honors in 2017 while helping Carabobo concede just 25 goals in 34 games. pic.twitter.com/dgCM7fvQQx
— Houston Dynamo (@HoustonDynamo) January 16, 2018
Fuenmayor joins a Houston side that allowed had the sixth-best defense in MLS in 2017, conceding 45 goals. The Dynamo now have 22 players under contract for 2018, with Fuenmayor becoming the eighth to occupy an international roster slot.
“He is a young center back with experience in South America and he is eager to come to MLS and adapt quickly to the challenges this league presents,” Dynamo head coach Wilmer Cabrera said in a statement. “He is excited, and he knows the responsibility that comes with playing for the Houston Dynamo. We know he is ready for the challenge, and with our tools and our core group we can help him adapt very quickly.”
