TRANSFER TRACKER STATUS: Transfer
The Portland Timbers have acquired Venezuelan youth international defender Pablo Bonilla from Deportivo La Guaira Fútbol Club and signed the player to a Timbers 2 contract.
Bonilla, 20, recently graduated to the Under-23 national team for the 2020 CONMEBOL Olympic Qualifying Tournament, where he started and played three consecutive first-round matches. He also started every game for Venezuela at last year’s South American Under-20 championship, but the Vinotinto narrowly missed out on qualifying for the 2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup.
“We are excited to welcome Pablo to the Portland Timbers," GM and president of soccer operations Gavin Wilkinson said in a club statement. "He is a young player that has a tremendous upside and potential. The expectation is that he shows his qualities with T2 and progresses through to the first team. Pablo will be immediately joining our T2 roster for the upcoming USL Championship season where we look forward to continuing his development.”
On the club side, Bonilla made his senior debut with Portuguesa FC when he was 17 years old and accrued 66 appearances with the club before moving to La Guaira over the summer, one of the Venezuelan top flight’s top contenders in recent seasons.
The right back joins T2 ahead of their opener in the USL Championship on March 7 against Phoenix Rising.
