D.C. United answered one of their first big offseason questions on Wednesday, announcing that they had acquired midfielder Luciano Acosta on a permanent transfer from Boca Juniors following the expiration of his one-year loan agreement.
Acosta will occupy a Designated Player spot for the majority of his contract, although Targeted Allocation Money will be used to bring down his salary budget charge below the DP threshold for the 2017 season. According to D.C. United, the transfer fee paid to Boca is the largest in club history and the total investment into Acosta is the highest in nearly a decade.
The news follows a report from the Washington Post’s Steve Goff on Monday that the permanent transfer of Acosta from Boca to United was “almost done.”
"This substantial investment demonstrates our ownership's commitment to our continued success on the pitch in the coming years," Dave Kasper, United general manager and VP of soccer operations, said in a statement provided by the team. "We are excited to obtain Lucho's services for the long-term. Ben [Olsen], the rest of the coaching staff and I were impressed with how much Lucho grew as a player over the course of his first season in MLS. His rapid development and acclimation to a new league, country, team and culture are a sure sign of things to come."
Acosta, 22, recorded three goals and 11 assists in 31 regular-season appearances and had a hot finish to the year, setting up seven of those goals and scoring one in D.C.'s final nine games. Prior to his current time with D.C., Acosta made a combined 52 appearances in the Argentine Primera Division with Boca and Estudiantes de La Plata in 2014 and 2015 while also featuring in the Copa Libertadores and Copa Sudamericana.
