The Portland Timbers completed a flurry of personnel moves on Monday, announcing the re-signing of versatile midfielder/defender Amobi Okugo, the signing of free-agent fullback Chance Myers and the early return of winger Dairon Asprilla from his loan stint with Colombian side Millonarios.
Okugo, 25, has made 139 league appearances (113 starts) during a seven-year MLS career, recording five goals, seven assists and 10,302 minutes played since being drafted by the Philadelphia Union as the sixth overall pick in the 2010 MLS SuperDraft. He joined the Timbers in May 2016 from Sporting Kansas City, making six appearances in MLS and CONCACAF Champions League play for Portland as a center back and holding midfielder.
“Amobi will continue to give us experience and depth in two positions and when called upon like last year, we know he has the ability to step in and get the job done,” said Timbers head coach Caleb Porter in a club release.
Myers joins the Timbers ahead of the 2017 campaign after spending the past nine seasons with Sporting KC. Originally drafted by Kansas City as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2008 MLS SuperDraft, Myers, 29, has appeared in 147 regular-season games (114 starts) during his nine-year MLS career, along with 10 postseason appearances. He helped SKC win the 2013 MLS Cup and the 2012 and 2015 US Open Cup championships and has two career goals and 16 assists in regular-season play.
“Chance is a proven MLS player, and his experience and qualities both on and off the field will help strengthen the club,” said Timbers general manager and president of soccer Gavin Wilkinson. “His addition reflects a primary objective of ours to bring in starting-caliber players to, in turn, provide more depth within our squad.”
Meanwhile Asprilla, 24, returns to Portland after scoring two goals in 16 games played (9 starts) with Millonarios. He set out on the loan stint in his native land after playing in nine games in the early stages of the Timbers' 2016 season. He has made 35 regular-season appearances (16 starts) since arriving in Portland ahead of the 2015 campaign, recording two goals and two assists in 1,496 minutes, as well as a key goal and three assists in the Timbers' run to the 2015 MLS Cup title.
“We know what Dairon can bring on the pitch and he is hungry to come back and invest fully in the team,” said Porter. “We're happy to give him that opportunity again and feel his soccer qualities will benefit even more to our squad moving forward.”
