New Minnesota United midfielder Kervin Arriaga knows he's not in Honduras anymore

Twice delayed, new Minnesota United defensive midfielder Kervin Arriaga's Allianz Field debut arrives Saturday night against San Jose.

The first time, an immigration issue kept him home in February when his Honduras national team played a World Cup qualifier against United States in single-digit temperatures.

Two weeks ago, he watched the Loons' home opener against Nashville SC, sidelined because of what he calls a heart issue now resolved.

But he has seen enough of his new office so far to know two things:

He's not in Honduras anymore.

"It's very pretty," he said after he saw Allianz Field the first time. "The only bad thing is it's covered in snow."

And his new team's supporters are loud.

"I'm happy," he said in Spanish through a team interpreter. "I saw something really nice in the first game at home. I noticed something different, a tremendous joy. The people support you constantly."

The winter weather is Arriaga's only quibble since he arrived from his Honduran club last month and signed at age 24 a two-year contract with a team option.

"Honestly, I'm dying," he said. "The last match I could not hold on. I had two pairs of gloves on and I was freezing. But that's part of the job."

The Loons paid Austin FC $100,000 for Arriaga's discovery rights after they scouted him in Olympic qualifying this time last year in Mexico and liked what they saw.

Coach Adrian Heath praised Arriaga the two games he has played — both on the road — for his 6-3 height, skill, athleticism, range, ability to pass with either foot and dangerous free kicks.

"It looks like we might have a proper player on our hands because it's a bit of everything he can do," Heath said. "He has had a great start. We're really pleased with him. I think we might have unearthed one in him, I really do."

The Loons signed Arriaga last month after he missed the World Cup qualifier at Allianz Field because of what he called an "immigration alert" he said his ex-partner made over a matter involving their young child.

He was cleared to travel days later. He flew to Minnesota and signed his MLS contract to play for the Loons.

"I don't like leaving my teammates alone," Arriaga said. "At the same time, I was a little happy because I would have died in that cold."

Heath called Arriaga's return to action in Sunday's 1-0 victory at New York Red Bulls "immense at times" and "excellent" as well.

Arriaga has started and played all 90 minutes in the first two games he has played. In between, he missed the home opener because of what he called "a cardio problem with my heart, but thanks to God, everything is normal."

In his two games, he played one alongside Hassani Dotson when Wil Trapp was injured and the other with Trapp when Dotson moved to right back to help an injury-depleted backline.

Heath was asked what he likes most about a player his club pursued for almost a year.

"At this moment in time, everything," Heath said. "So far, he has had a great start."

In the season opener at Philadelphia, Arriaga both defended from his midfield spot and pushed forward with star playmaker Emanuel Reynoso while Dotson swept from behind with Trapp out.

At New York, he paired with Trapp while Dotson played left back on that makeshift backline because of injuries.

"All three of us offer something different," Dotson said. "Kervin is really dynamic. He likes to go box-to-box and use his athleticism. Wil is pretty technical. He likes to switch play and he's the one who keeps the tempo."

When all three are healthy and available, Heath is faced with a quandary if he keeps his preferred 4-2-3-1 formation.

"There's always difficult decisions," Heath said. "We have the flexibility now to change it around. We could go 5-3-2. It's something we've done behind closed doors. We have a few different systems we could play."

All of it is new to Arriaga.

"It's a very different league from the one in Honduras," he said. "I try day to day, game to game, to adapt as fast as I can to the league, the weather. ... Honestly, this is a superior league to the one in my country. The pitches are better. The level of the game is much quicker. I'm still adjusting, but we're making the effort."