Yesterday, respected soccer journalist César Luis Merlo tweeted that Orlando City SC had beaten off competition from Independiente to sign recent Boca Juniors left back Emmanuel Mas.
In a translated version of the original tweet, it read: “Emmanuel Mas will play for Orlando City in the MLS… In the next few hours, medical review and contract signing.”
As recently as June 29, Orlando City SC had been rumoured to be signing another Argentine left back – Nahuel Gallardo.
However, César Luis Merlo’s recent tweet suggests the Lions’ Front Office has the older Emmanuel Mas in mind instead.
As for journalist Merlo himself, he has 105k followers on Twitter. He works with TyC Sports, an Argentine pay television sports channel.
Interestingly, César Luis Merlo also broke news of Orlando City SC’s move for Alexandre Pato back in February.
With João Moutinho in and out of the team, and Kyle Smith deputising at left back, albeit admirably, it appears time to recruit another left-footed specialist.
After all, Orlando City SC have already cleared an international spot having loaned Matheus Aiás to Real Oviedo on July 4.
Orlando City UK found out a little more about Emmanuel Mas, the man reportedly set to sign for Orlando City SC this mid-season.
Who is Emmanuel Mas?
Emmanuel Mas is an experienced 32-year-old left back and a former Argentina international, winning eight caps.
A free agent, Mas’ contract expired with Buenos Aires giants Boca Juniors on July 1 after a three-year association with Los Xeneizes.
Mas has represented four clubs across two countries in his 13-year senior career to date.
Starting out at his hometown club San Martín de San Juan in 2008, he joined San Lorenzo in 2013.
This was before a brief spell in the Turkish Süper Lig with Trabzonspor in 2017-18.
Then Emmanuel Mas made over 30 domestic league appearances for Boca Juniors between 2018 and 2021.
Crucially, Emmanuel Mas has been a winner in his senior career thus far.
During his time with San Lorenzo, Mas won the Argentine Primera División (2013 Inicial), the Copa Libertadores (2014), and the Supercopa Argentina (2015).
Then at Boca Juniors, Emmanuel Mas won two Argentine Primera División titles (2017-18, 2019-20), and the Supercopa Argentina (2018) for a second time in his career.
According to Transfermarkt, Emmanuel Mas is left-footed as you’d expect, and stands at 6 ft 0 in.
Elsewhere, Mas has pulled on the famous sky blue and white stripes of the Argentina national team eight times.
With all eight caps coming between 2015 and 2017, Mas made his international debut for La Albiceleste in September 2015.
This was in a friendly match against Bolivia at Houston Dynamo’s BBVA Compass Stadium. On the night, Argentina thumped their fellow South Americans 7-0.
Ezequiel Lavezzi, Sergio Aguero and Lionel Messi all scored two each in this international drubbing.
Do Orlando City SC need Emmanuel Mas?
In a word, yes.
The Lions recruited Jonathan Suárez in February before that move was ill-fated.
Then City were heavily linked with Vasco da Gama’s Henrique in April, and River Plate’s Nahuel Gallardo in June.
From these movements alone, it appears the Orlando City SC Front Office have been chasing left back reinforcements for a while.
With the first choice João Moutinho not fit enough for consistent minutes in MLS this season, solid cover is required.
The dependable Kyle Smith has proved versatile enough to put in impressive performances at left back so far this season.
Nevertheless, another left-footed specialist is required. Dependable as Smith is, Orlando City SC lack natural attacking balance and impetus from the left flank when Moutinho is unavailable.
If signed, Emmanuel Mas would become the third Argentine to represent Orlando City SC after Matías Pérez García and Rodrigo Schlegel.