It’s been known for quite some time that FC Dallas head coach Schellas Hyndman and technical director Fernando Clavijo have been searching for an addition to the team at forward, someone who can push Blas Pérez in practice while combining with the Panamanian when the team needs a spark off the bench.
Dallas hope they have found their man in 25-year-old Argentine forward Matías Jara, whose signing the club announced on Tuesday.
“He can combine with another forward and give us an option to play with two strikers up front,” Clavijo told MLSsoccer.com. “At the same time, he’s very smart and his movements are very intelligent. When you see David [Ferreira] working with everyone, I think [Matías] is one guy who can definitely play off David and Blas Pérez, but also play as a lone striker.”
READ: FC Dallas sign Argentine striker Matías Jara
Clavijo noted that he has been following Jara for six to eight months. The Argentine arrives in Dallas following a tough situation where he was out of contract with recently relegated Argentine side Guillermo Brown. He joins FCD on a short-term deal with option years for the future.
“We don’t compromise anything for 2013, while he at the same time was willing to take a risk to be able to showcase his skills in 2012 for the 2013 season, so it’s a win-win situation,” Clavijo said. “We bring in a player that is playing at a high level. He’s young enough that he can still learn and we’re able to fit him into the budget we had, so I’m excited, really excited.”
He becomes the second Argentine-born forward to play for the club after the legendary Ariel Graziani and will battle Scott Sealy and Jonathan Top for playing time behind Pérez. With roster spots up top wide open heading into 2013, the coaching staff will no doubt be keeping a close eye on Jara as they look to build for the future.
“He’s 25 years old and I’ve always said playing in this country is difficult and not everyone can do it, but I think he has the tools to be able to,” CIavijo said. “I’m excited for him, excited for the opportunities and the investment for us was minimal, so I think he brings something to the team that we don’t have today.”
