The Portland Timbers added another Argentine attacker to their arsenal on Friday, signing forward Lucas Melano to a Designated Player contract.
Melano joins the Timbers from Argentine first-division side Lanus, the same club that is coached by former MLS MVP Guillermo Barros Schelotto. It is also the same club that the Timbers acquired Diego Valeri from before the 2013 season.
In order to accommodate Melano as a Designated Player on the Timbers’ roster, Targeted Allocation Money was used to lower the budget charge of Fanendo Adi, freeing a Designated Player slot.
Melano, 22, joined Lanús in July 2013 and has tallied a team-leading five goals in 14 games during the 2015 Argentine Primera División season. The 6-foot-1 forward has made 42 league appearances for the club since 2013, recording eight goals and also helping the side to a championship in the 2013 Copa Sudamericana as one of tournament’s leading scorers.
“This is player we tried to sign several years ago while he was at Belgrano and have followed him very closely ever since,” said Timbers general manager Gavin Wilkinson in a press release. “The process in bringing him to Portland has been a lengthy and challenging one, as he was targeted by several European and Mexican clubs. We believe Lucas is a player that will suit the style and system, will make us better immediately and will be an asset to the club for the future.”
Shortly after joining the club, Melano helped Lanús win the 2013 Copa Sudamericana title, appearing in nine matches and scoring three goals during the cup competition, while finishing tied for fourth among all players in goal scoring during the tournament.
"Melano is a player we've had our eye on for some time and we are extremely pleased to finally announce his addition,” said Caleb Porter, head coach of the Timbers. “Lucas is a very exciting, dynamic player with pace and individual game-changing ability. His versatility to be able to play any of the front four positions in our system also gives us flexibility to mesh him with our other quality pieces. We feel confident Lucas will make an immediate impact on our goal production this season but will also continue to grow with the club and be a key fixture in MLS for years to come.”
In other competitions, Melano has appeared for Lanús during the 2014 Copa Libertadores tournament, appearing in one group-stage match and the first leg of the Round of 16 clash against Mexican club Santos Laguna.
A native of Hernando, Argentina, Melano began his professional career with Argentine first-division club Belgrano, earning his first-team debut on March 17, 2012, after working his way through the club’s youth ranks. Melano recorded seven goals in 44 career league appearances for Belgrano, helping the club qualify for the 2013 Copa Sudamericana competition with a third-place finish in the 2012-13 Torneo Inicial season.
