TRANSFER TRACKER STATUS: Loan
The Portland Timbers have acquired Paraguay international right back Jorge Moreira from River Plate on loan with option to buy, the club announced Wednesday. MLSsoccer.com's Sam Stejskal was the first to report the news on Friday.
Moreira, 29, joined River Plate in 2016, appearing in 58 games across all competitions in his time with the club. He picked up a knee injury in October 2017, sidelining him for 10 months, limiting his playing time since as he didn't make an appearance in the club's run to winning the 2018 Copa Libertadores. This season he had played eight league matches before joining the Timbers.
“We are very pleased to add a player of Jorge Moreira’s quality and experience to our roster this season,” Timbers GM and president of soccer Gavin Wilkinson said in a statement. “Right back was a positional need and we are delighted for Jorge to join the Timbers. He brings a wealth of experience from one of the top clubs in South America and possesses an array of complementary attributes that will benefit our group.”
Moreira has 17 career caps with the Paraguay national team.
“Jorge is an experienced player who has played at the highest level in South America and internationally, and his addition further strengthens our defensive group,” said Timbers head coach Giovanni Savarese. “As a right back, he has shown to be balanced defensively and comfortable with the ball and going forward, and his addition will create an additional level of competition to our club this season.”
The Timbers traded right back Alvas Powell to FC Cincinnati earlier this offseason.
