According to murmurings online this week, 22-year-old Tunisian winger Aziz Chtioui has signed with an unnamed Major League Soccer club believed to be Orlando City SC.
The Tunisia Under-23 international recently confirmed an MLS switch himself on his Facebook account. Today, @ES_TUNIS_NEWS claims the club in question is Oscar Pareja‘s Lions.
MLS 🇺🇸 : Aziz Chtioui formé à l’ES Tunis 🇧🇪 vient de rejoindre Orlando City aux USA,c’est le deuxième tunisien après Jasser Khemiri.
Que pensez-vous de cette nouvelle filière MLS 🇺🇸/LP1 🇹🇳 ? pic.twitter.com/OL41gIjVER— ES Tunis News ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (@ES_TUNIS_NEWS) June 30, 2020
MLSSoccer.com have even been tracking this rumour too. Yesterday, the league attempted to connect the dots in a release by contributor Ian Quillen.
Who is Aziz Chtioui?
Aziz Chtioui is a 22-year-old winger who plays for Esperance Tunis in his Tunisian homeland.
Right footed and 5 ft 7 in tall, Aziz Chtioui is most comfortable as a left winger. He can also play as a number 10 attacking midfielder or a secondary striker too.
Enjoying a four-year professional career so far, the youngster has represented four Tunisian clubs since starting out with Esperance Tunis’ Under-23 side in 2017.
After that, he represented CO Médenine, US Monastir and AS Soliman. Enjoying a loan spell at the latter club in 2019/20, he’s currently back at Esperance Tunis as a senior professional.
According to Transfermarkt data, Aziz Chtioui is yet to score a goal in three Tunisian league campaigns.
However, he did score a penalty in the Tunisian Cup and has three career assists in all competitions.
A Tunisia Under-23 international, Aziz Chtioui has made 57 first team appearances at domestic level – predominantly as a left winger.
Do Orlando City SC need Aziz Chtioui?
Orlando City SC has been linked with multiple wingers since our disappointing 2019 MLS campaign ended.
Indeed, all of Alex Castro, Álvaro García, Vitinho and Florinel Coman were linked with a switch to Exploria Stadium in the off-season.
With Oscar Pareja clearly keen on strengthening wide options, maybe he’s stumbled upon Aziz Chtioui as a pet project rather than signing proven talent.
With Chris Mueller representing Orlando City SC‘s only out-and-out winger with Nani expected to play as a striker, there’s logic in a move for Chtioui.
If Aziz Chtioui does join Orlando City SC, he will be the second Tunisian currently in Major League Soccer after Vancouver Whitecaps’ Jasser Khmiri.
Orlando City UK awaits any developments regarding this transfer story.