Orlando City SC continues to make splashes in the offseason, reshaping the rosters that finished with the third-worst record in MLS in 2019. The team announced on Monday that they have landed veteran Brazilian midfielder Junior Urso from Brazilian powerhouse Corinthians.
According to reports, Urso joins Orlando via transfer, but the exact fee remains undisclosed. The 30-year-old’s salary in MLS is believed to be bigger than the salary cap allows, but the club hasn’t decided yet whether he will be registered as a designated player.
Urso leaves Corinthians after just one season, having played 48 games and scored five games during his time with the organization.
“We are very excited to welcome Junior Urso to Orlando City,” said Orlando City executive vice president of soccer operations Luiz Muzzi in a statement. “Coming from a renowned club like Corinthians, he brings a great amount of international experience to Orlando while allowing us to add more depth and a new skill set to our midfield. He possesses great vision and abilities on the ball, and we expect him to make an immediate impact on our roster.”
Junior Urso spent the early part of his professional career in native Brazil before heading to China in 2014, where he signed with Shandong Luneng. After three years with Luneng, during which he helped the club to the Chinese FA Cup trophy, Urso joined Guangzhou R&F.
