The following press release comes from the Portland Timbers.
UPDATE – 12:31 PM
PORTLAND TIMBERS EXERCISE OPTIONS ON SEVEN PLAYERS
Club declines contract options for four players, two out of contract
PORTLAND, Ore. – The Portland Timbers have exercised the 2015 contract options on seven players, it was announced today.
Players who were already under contract for the 2015 season are: goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts; defenders Jack Jewsbury, Norberto Paparatto and Liam Ridgewell; midfielders Diego Chara, Will Johnson, Darlington Nagbe and Diego Valeri; and forwards Fanendo Adi, Schillo Tshuma and Maximiliano Urruti.
The Timbers have picked up the 2015 contract options on midfielders George Fochive, Michael Nanchoff, Rodney Wallace and Ben Zemanski, defender Taylor Peay and goalkeepers Jake Gleeson and Andrew Weber.
Additionally, the Timbers exercised the purchase option on defender Alvas Powell’s contract from Jamaica’s Portmore United and he was signed to a new, long-term deal after originally joining Portland on loan in 2013. Defender Jorge Villafaña, who was out of contract, was also re-signed by the Timbers.
The Timbers are in further contract discussions with forward Gastón Fernández.
Four players’ contract options were declined and two players from the club’s 2014 roster are out of contract.
The Timbers declined the 2015 contract options on midfielders Kalif Alhassan and Steven Evans, and defenders Bryan Gallego and Pa Modou Kah. Alhassan is eligible for the MLS Re-Entry Draft. Additionally, the club announced that forward Jose Valencia was sold to Argentina’s Club Olimpo Bahía Blanca, while Evans has signed a contract with T2.
Defenders Rauwshan McKenzie and Danny O’Rourke are out of contract and have not been extended bona fide offers. Both players will be eligible for the MLS Re-Entry Draft.
UPDATE – 12:16 PM
TIMBERS SIGN BRAZILIAN DEFENDER JEANDERSON SALVADOR PEREIRA
Left back joins Portland for 2015 MLS season
PORTLAND, Ore. – The Portland Timbers have signed Brazilian defender Jeanderson Salvador Pereira, it was announced today. He will be added to the Timbers’ roster pending the receipt of his International Transfer Certificate (ITC) and P-1 visa. Per league and club policy, terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
Jeanderson, 23, appeared in 15 matches for Cruzeiro de Porto Alegre in the 2014 Campeonato Gaúcho from January to March 2014, helping the club reach the competition’s quarterfinals. The Serra, Brazil native then made four appearances for Brazilian side Santa Rita in the 2014 Copa do Brasil, as the team reached the tournament’s Round of 16. Signing with Santa Rita in July 2014, Jeanderson started both legs of the third round as Santa Rita earned a 4-3 aggregate win over Santa Cruz to reach the Round of 16. Squaring off against eventual runners-up Cruzeiro (Minas Gerais) in the Round of 16, Jeanderson earned two more starting nods, but Santa Rita was eliminated 7-1 on aggregate.
During his career, Jeanderson also has logged time with São José de Porto Alegre in 2013 and Rio Branco during the 2011 Copa do Brasil.
Jeanderson will occupy an international slot on the Timbers roster.
Jeanderson Salvador Pereira
Pronunciation: zhahnderson
Position: Defender
Height: 5-11
Weight: 160
Born: Aug. 13, 1991, in Serra, Brazil
Last Club: Santa Rita (Brazil)
College: n/a
Citizenship: Brazil
Acquired: Signed on Dec. 8, 2014
UPDATE – 12:01 PM
TIMBERS EXERCISE PURCHASE OPTION ON JAMAICAN INTERNATIONAL ALVAS POWELL, SIGN TO LONG-TERM CONTRACT
Defender logged MLS-career-high 15 appearances in 2014
PORTLAND, Ore. – The Portland Timbers have exercised the purchase option on defender Alvas Powell from Jamaican club Portmore United, signing the Jamaica National Team defender to a new, long-term contract, it was announced today. Powell was originally acquired by the Timbers on loan from Portmore United on June 28, 2013. Per MLS and club policy, terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
Powell, 20, is coming off an MLS-career-high 15 appearances (11 starts) during the 2014 season. The Jamaican international registered the first two goals of his MLS career in back-to-back games for the Timbers against Vancouver Whitecaps FC on Aug. 30 and the San Jose Earthquakes on Sept. 7, while also helping the team finish the season with a 304-minute streak without conceding a goal. Powell has made 20 appearances for the Timbers since originally joining the club on loan midway through the 2013 MLS season, and is the youngest player in Timbers MLS history to start and play in a match on Aug. 3, 2013, against Whitecaps FC at 19-years, 16-days old.
Named the Timbers Up-and-Coming Player in consecutive seasons, Powell has emerged as an important part of the Jamaica National Team, earning 18 caps for the Reggae Boyz since making his senior international debut on Dec. 10, 2012. Recently, Powell made four appearances and helped guide Jamaica to the 2014 Caribbean Cup title – the country’s first Caribbean Cup championship since 2010 – while earning a spot on the tournament’s Best XI list.
Powell will occupy an international slot on the Timbers roster.
Alvas Powell
Position: Defender
Height: 6-0
Weight: 165
Born: July 18, 1994, in Danvers Pen, Jamaica
Last Club: Portmore United FC (Jamaica)
College: n/a
Citizenship: Jamaica
Acquired: Contract purchased from Portmore United on Dec. 8, 2014, and signed to a new, long-term contract. Originally acquired on loan from Portmore United on June 28, 2013.
UPDATE – 11:47 AM
TIMBERS ACQUIRE DEFENDER NAT BORCHERS FROM REAL SALT LAKE IN EXCHANGE FOR ALLOCATION MONEY
PORTLAND, Ore. – The Portland Timbers have acquired defender Nat Borchers from Real Salt Lake in exchange for allocation money, it was announced today. Per league and club policy, terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
Coming off an MLS career-high 32 appearances (all starts) in 2014 with Real Salt Lake, Borchers, 33, has appeared in 288 career matches and logged 25,657 minutes, in 10 MLS seasons. A 2010 MLS Best XI selection, Borchers helped guide RSL to seven straight postseason appearances, winning MLS Cup in 2009 and advancing to the MLS Cup final in 2013.
While with RSL, the center back appeared in 205 regular-season matches and 19 MLS Cup Playoffs games, as well as both legs of the 2010-11 CONCACAF Champions League final, scoring a goal in the first leg against Mexican club Monterrey. Borchers made 13 appearances in CONCACAF Champions League play for RSL during the 2010-11 and 2012-13 editions of the tournament.
Prior to joining Real Salt Lake, Borchers played two seasons with Odd Grenland (now known as Odds BK) in the Norwegian Tippeligaen, making 42 league appearances from 2006-07 before returning to MLS in 2008. Borchers began his career with the Colorado Rapids in 2003, starting in 22 matches during his rookie campaign.
At the international level, Borchers has earned three caps for the U.S. Men’s National Team since making his senior international debut on March 9, 2005, in a 3-0 friendly win against Colombia. Borchers’ most recent national team appearance came as a second-half substitute in a 1-0 friendly win against South Africa on Nov. 17, 2010.
Nat Borchers
Position: Defender
Height: 6-2
Weight: 175
Born: April 13, 1981, in Tucson, Ariz.
Last Club: Real Salt Lake
College: University of Denver
Citizenship: United States
Acquired: Acquired Dec. 8, 2014 from Real Salt Lake exchange for allocation money
UPDATE – 11:35 AM
TIMBERS SIGN COLOMBIAN WINGER/FORWARD DAIRON ASPRILLA
Experienced 22-year-old joins Portland from Alianza Petrolera in Colombia
PORTLAND, Ore. – The Portland Timbers have signed Colombian winger/forward Dairon Asprilla, it was announced today. He will be added to the Timbers’ roster pending the receipt of his International Transfer Certificate (ITC) and P-1 visa. Per league and club policy, terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
Asprilla, 22, joins the Timbers from Colombian Primera División side Alianza Petrolera. A native of Istmina, Colombia, Asprilla made 71 regular-season appearances for Alianza Petrolera after joining the team on loan from Atlético Nacional in 2012.
Playing primarily as a right winger, Asprilla registered five goals in 17 matches, logging 1,431 minutes of action during the 2014 Torneo Finalización. He made nine appearances during the 2014 Torneo Apertura campaign, netting two goals while also logging time in three 2014 Copa Colombia games.
Playing his first season on loan with Alianza Petrolera in 2012, Asprilla helped the side gain promotion to the Primera División, scoring 10 goals in 33 regular-season appearances across both Apertura and Finalización seasons in the second division. He appeared in five 2012 Finalización playoff matches as Alianza Petrolera defeated América de Cali on penalty kicks in the final to gain a spot in the first division for the first time in 2013.
Asprilla scored Alianza Petrolera’s first goal in Primera División play, netting the game-winning goal in a 1-0 victory over La Equidad on Feb. 9, 2013. Before joining Alianza Petrolera, Asprilla appeared in three Copa Colombia matches for Atlético Nacional during the 2011 edition of the tournament.
Asprilla will occupy an international slot on the Timbers roster.
Dairon Asprilla
Pronunciation: DIE-ron ah-SPREE-ah
Position: Winger/Forward
Height: 5-11
Weight: 165
Born: May 25, 1992, in Istmina, Colombia
Last Club: Alianza Petrolera (Colombia)
College: n/a
Citizenship: Colombia
Acquired: Signed on Dec. 8, 2014
UPDATE:
TIMBERS SIGN GHANA WORLD CUP GOALKEEPER ADAM LARSEN KWARASEY
Norwegian Tippeligaen Goalkeeper of the Year in 2013, 26-year-old Kwarasey joins Portland following successful career with Strømsgodset
PORTLAND, Ore. – The Portland Timbers have signed Ghanaian international goalkeeper Adam Larsen Kwarasey to a long-term contract, it was announced today. He will be added to the Timbers’ roster pending the receipt of his International Transfer Certificate (ITC) and P-1 visa. Per league and club policy, terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
Kwarasey, 26, has made 23 appearances for the Ghana National Team since earning his debut for the Black Stars on Sept. 2, 2011, in a 2-0 win against Swaziland during qualification for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations. The Norwegian goalkeeper helped guide Ghana to the 2014 FIFA World Cup, starting and playing 90 minutes in a 2-1 loss against the United States in the opening match of Group D play on June 16 in Natal, Brazil. Kwarasey featured for Ghana at the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations, appearing in all six matches during the tournament. He also registered back-to-back shutouts against Malawi to help the Black Stars qualify for the 2013 edition of the tournament. Prior to joining the Ghana National Team, the Oslo native made one appearance for the Norway Under-21 National Team in 2008.
Beginning his professional career with Norwegian Tippeligaen side Strømsgodset in 2007, Kwarasey helped captain the club to its second-ever league championship in 2013, earning the league’s Goalkeeper of the Year honors after the season. Over an eight-year career with Strømsgodset, Kwarasey made 154 league appearances and helped the club to a top-four league finish in each of his final three seasons while also serving as the team’s captain in 2013 and 2014. Kwarasey took over first-choice goalkeeper duties for Strømsgodset in 2010 as the side won the 2010 Norwegian Football Cup competition.
Kwarasey earned valuable experience captaining Strømsgodset to the third qualifying round of the 2011-12 and 2013-14 UEFA Europa League tournament and the second qualifying round of the 2014-15 UEFA Champions League tournament. During his career with Strømsgodset, Kwarasey logged five appearances in UEFA Europa League qualification play and two matches in UEFA Champions League qualification.
Kwarasey will occupy an international slot on the Timbers roster.
Adam Larsen Kwarasey
Pronunciation: kwah-rah-SEE
Position: Goalkeeper
Height: 6-3
Weight: 180
Born: Dec. 12, 1987, in Oslo, Norway
Last Club: Strømsgodset (Norway)
College: n/a
Citizenship: Norway/Ghana
Acquired: Signed on Dec. 8, 2014
ORIGINAL POST:
Follow along today as we keep track of all the moves the Portland Timbers make today in the MLS pre-Expansion Draft trade window. Check back regularly for updates.
Here’s the first move of the day:
The Portland Timbers announced this morning that they have traded defender Michael Harrington to the Colorado Rapids in exchange for allocation money. Harrington was expected to be taken by either NYCFC or OCSC in the Expansion Draft, so by trading him Portland ensures they receive value in return. This trade makes it even more likely that defender Jorge Villafana will be protected in the upcoming Expansion Draft.
TIMBERS ACQUIRE ALLOCATION MONEY FROM COLORADO IN EXCHANGE FOR DEFENDER MICHAEL HARRINGTON
PORTLAND, Ore. – The Portland Timbers have acquired allocation money from the Colorado Rapids in exchange for defender Michael Harrington, it was announced today. Per league and club policy, terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
Harrington, 28, played in 25 of 34 league games in 2014, logging 1,749 minutes and two assists. The Greenville, N.C., native has played eight seasons in MLS with Sporting Kansas City (2007-12) and Portland after entering the league as a first-round pick in the 2007 MLS SuperDraft from the University of North Carolina.
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