Minnesota United made it official on Wednesday, acquiring Honduras national team defensive midfielder Kervin Arriaga's discovery rights from Austin FC.
Minnesota United acquires Honduras national team midfielder Kervin Arriaga
The Loons added a second player from Honduras national teams after they signed Joseph Rosales last summer.
February 16, 2022 at 6:31PM
Arriaga signed a two-year contract with a third-year club option. The Loons paid $50,000 in 2022 general-allocation money (GAM) and $50,000 in 2023 GAM.
Arriaga turned 24 in January and will occupy an international spot on the Loons roster.
He has already joined the team, watching Sunday's preseason tournament game at Portland from a suite at Providence Park.
The Loons scouted him for more than a year. They now have signed Hondurans Arriaga and last summer Joseph Rosales after they watched both play in CONCACAF Olympic qualifying last winter.
Minnesota United coach Adrian Heath in a statement said Arriaga has "a lot of upside" and called him another player who will add competition for starting spots on the club's starting 11.
"We think there's a lot more to come from him," Heath said.
After Sunday's 1-0 loss at Portland, Heath said both Arriaga and recently signed South African striker Bongokuhle Hlongwane could play some minutes for the team for the first time Wednesday against Real Salt Lake in Portland.
Arriaga did not accompany his national team to St. Paul to play the U.S. men's national team in a 3-0 World Cup qualifying loss at Allianz Field on February 2.
The Loons also are finalizing the return of Paraguayan striker Luis Amarilla, who played for the team in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season.
Minnesota started only two strikers against Seattle, leaving Sang Bin Jeong and Joseph Rosales to provide the width behind Teemu Pukki and Kelvin Yeboah.
