LAFC sign Andre Horta as designated player

By Anthony Caruso III | Publisher

Los Angeles FC has signed their third designated player. André Horta, a 21-year-old, Portuguese player, will join the team from S.L. Benfica.

The new MLS expansion team is spending $7 million to sign Horta. They have signed him to a multi-year deal worth a little more than $1 million per season.

According to ESPN FC, an official announcement will come this week by the club. However, the story says that Horta may not see their new addition until July 10th, which is when the new secondary transfer window opens.

SC Braga would potentially work out an agreement with Los Angeles FC by May 1st. Jeff Carlisle, who wrote the ESPN FC story, calls the early termination “slim.”

This will be the first-time in his career that Horta has played in Major League Soccer. He was previously on loan to SC Braga, where he appeared in 15 games with one goal.

When Horta does join Los Angeles FC this summer, he’ll join Carlos Vela and Diego Rossi as their other designated players.

With Benfica, Horta appeared in 10 games, where he had one goal. He also played for Vitória de Setúbal from 2014 to 2016, where he made 38 appearances and had two goals.

Horta has also played for the Portugal youth national teams from 2014 through now. In 22 games, he has just two goals.

This will be the first-time that Vela, Rossi, and Horta will be on the same team together. Rossi is an Uruguay native, who previously played for Peñarol before joining Los Angeles FC.

Vela was on numerous teams, before joining Los Angeles FC. The 29-year-old played for Arsenal, then was loaned to Salamanca, Osasuna, West Bromwich Albion, and Real Sociedad, before officially joining Real Sociedad in 2012, where he played up until 2017.