Heavily linked with Orlando City SC since January 31, the Lions have today announced the signing of experienced striker Luis Muriel from Atalanta. Becoming our third Designated Player after Facundo Torres and Martín Ojeda, and our fifteenth ever DP in MLS, the 32-year-old has signed a three-year contract through 2026 at Inter&Co Stadium for a fee believed to be worth around €2 million.
Despite Duncan McGuire returning to Central Florida after his six-month loan to Blackburn Rovers collapsed, the 45-cap Colombian international Muriel will now, in all likelihood, lead the line for City with the Orlando City SC Front Office pulling the trigger on his permanent transfer now rather than waiting for him to become a free agent in June when his current contract was set to expire in Bergamo, Italy.
Bienvenidos, Luis ❤️
We have acquired forward Luis Muriel as a Designated Player on a three-year contract through 2026. @Luisfmuriel09 | #VamosOrlando
— Orlando City SC (@OrlandoCitySC) February 15, 2024
🗣️ All the way from Santo Tomás, Colombia…
— Orlando City SC (@OrlandoCitySC) February 15, 2024
Per sempre nella storia dell'Atalanta 🫶🕺🏽
Forever in our history 🖤💙@Luisfmuriel09 | #GoAtalantaGo pic.twitter.com/hJyrMaHqVq
— Atalanta B.C. (@Atalanta_BC) February 15, 2024
>> CLICK HERE TO VIEW LUIS MURIEL’S PLAYER PROFILE <<
How Luis Muriel’s Orlando City SC move unfolded
You have to commend the Orlando City SC Front Office for their swiftness and decisiveness in getting a deal for Luis Muriel done in under a fortnight.
- Jan. 31 – “Orlando City SC “seriously interested” in Atalanta’s Luis Muriel – Rudy Galetti
- Feb. 1 –
- 11:43 – Orlando City SC submit opening bid for Atalanta’s Luis Muriel – Matteo Moretto
- 13:29 – Orlando City SC’s opening bid for Muriel rejected for being ‘too low’ – Giorgio Dus
- Feb. 2 –
- 15:35 – Atalanta to retain Luis Muriel until June with Inter Milan keen on signing him – AS Colombia
- 18:59 – Luis Muriel heading to Orlando City SC on a three-year deal – Toque Sports
- Feb. 5 – Orlando City SC in final stages of negotiations to sign Luis Muriel from Atalanta – Fabrizio Romano
- Feb. 6 – Orlando City SC reach agreement in principle to sign Luis Muriel for €1 million – Fabrizio Romano
- Feb. 8 –
- Feb. 11 – Luis Muriel to fly to USA early next week with Orlando City SC medical tests booked for Tuesday – Fabrizio Romano
- Feb. 15 🏁 – Orlando City SC officially announce the signing of Luis Muriel through 2026 – Orlando City SC
It was mighty satisfying seeing global transfer expert Fabrizio Romano tweet his famous “Here we go!“ tagline – especially after the recent transfer saga involving Duncan McGuire.
🚨🟣 Luis Muriel to Orlando City, here we go! Deal completed as documents have been signed for Colombian striker to join MLS side.
Permanent transfer with immediate effect for Muriel, leaving Atalanta for fee around €2m.
Muriel will travel for medical soon. 🇨🇴🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/xBSVcroZas
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) February 8, 2024
Introductory words
Executive Vice President of Soccer Operations and General Manager Luiz Muzzi said: “We are very excited to welcome Luis to Orlando.
“His accolades and statistics over his career thus far speak for themselves.
Speaking about his move, Luis Muriel said: “I am very excited and happy to be here, to live the atmosphere that is this city of the team and with a lot of desire to get started.
“I had various offers when Oscar [Pareja] and Orlando called me.
Welcome to Orlando, Luis!
On behalf of Orlando City UK, we’d like to take this moment to welcome Luis Muriel to Central Florida.
Joining fellow Colombians Oscar Pareja and Iván Angulo at Inter&Co Stadium, it has also been confirmed that Muriel will wear the #9 jersey for Orlando City SC.
This is the same number he wore at Atalanta and a number left vacant at Inter&Co Stadium since Ercan Kara‘s September 2023 transfer to Samsunspor.
You can follow Luis Muriel on his own personal Instagram and Twitter accounts too.
🤩🚨 𝙉𝙀𝙒 𝙎𝙄𝙂𝙉𝙄𝙉𝙂 🚨🤩
Welcome to @OrlandoCitySC, @Luisfmuriel09. 🦁
⚽️ ST
⭐️ Designated Player
🗓 16 April 1991 (32)
🇨🇴 Colombia
⬆️ 5 ft 10 in
👕 Jersey #️⃣9️⃣𝙋𝙇𝘼𝙔𝙀𝙍 𝙋𝙍𝙊𝙁𝙄𝙇𝙀 ⚽️: https://t.co/d9UBXouzqN#OCTwitter #OrlandoCity #VamosOrlando #MLSUK pic.twitter.com/QMtODJuk3x
— Orlando City UK (@Orlando_CityUK) February 15, 2024
Orlando City SC supporters’ view
Orlando City UK gathered the best tweets following the news that Luis Muriel is now officially an Orlando City SC player.
🇨🇴🦁 𝙇𝙐𝙄𝙎 𝙈𝙐𝙍𝙄𝙀𝙇 𝘼 𝙇𝙄𝙊𝙉 🦁🇨🇴
Amazing work from the @OrlandoCitySC Front Office, reassuring supporters by signing a proven top quality DP from @SerieA. 👏🏽
The next few nights, I’ll be daydreaming of a telepathic Lodeiro/Muriel connection. 😈#OrlandoCityUK 🦁🇬🇧 pic.twitter.com/30xFxgnsym
— Orlando City UK (@Orlando_CityUK) February 15, 2024
Checking out the new digs 🏡@Luisfmuriel09 | #VamosOrlando pic.twitter.com/fJBvZFEebV
— Orlando City SC (@OrlandoCitySC) February 15, 2024
🗣️ "I am ready to get started."
The first words from our new DP, Luis Muriel! #VamosOrlando pic.twitter.com/LMRELVG69i
— Orlando City SC (@OrlandoCitySC) February 15, 2024
Great business by Muzzi & Co. @OrlandoCitySC
— AMK 🍊 (@AMK_300) February 6, 2024
Man @OrlandoCitySC have made themselves a potential contender with arrival of @Luisfmuriel09 #ocsc pic.twitter.com/HARLiinlDv
— Juan Arango (@JuanG_Arango) February 6, 2024
105 – Since he joined Atalanta (from 2019/20) Luis #Muriel has scored a goal every 105 minutes on average in Serie A, only Cristiano Ronaldo has a lower data (one goal every 96 minutes) in the period in the competition – min.5 goals. Class. pic.twitter.com/pwPU9k0qwV
— OptaPaolo (@OptaPaolo) February 7, 2024
Orlando in the kitchen 🧑🍳🧑🍳🧑🍳 https://t.co/7t1UCe5Aab
— Andrew Wiebe (@andrew_wiebe) February 6, 2024
🦁✈️ 𝙈𝙐𝙍𝙄𝙀𝙇 𝙁𝙇𝙊𝙍𝙄𝘿𝘼 𝘽𝙊𝙐𝙉𝘿 ✈️🦁
Roll out the red carpet, @MCO. 🤩#OCTwitter #OrlandoCity #MLSUK pic.twitter.com/u2TJT8j6Ai
— Orlando City UK (@Orlando_CityUK) February 12, 2024
These strikers are about to DOMINATE MLS 🤩🔥
What do YOU think about the Martinez, Cuypers and Muriel signings?! 🤔⬇️#CFMTL #CF97 #OrlandoCity pic.twitter.com/Bdv2X46uNo
— Eli Lesser (@EliLesserTV) February 6, 2024
💜💜💜💜💜 pic.twitter.com/QgEfZuYzwN
— Im tired. Tired? Yes, I’m f@#$ing tired. (@Imtired161) February 6, 2024
— The Eolian (@OrlandoMeme) February 6, 2024
With Orlando (possibly) losing their current striker, bringing in one with tons of experience is a great idea. I feel like Orlando has a well rounded roster now, especially with the newest signings.
— Anthony K (@AnthonyK1296) February 6, 2024
😈 𝗜𝗧’𝗦 𝗟𝗨𝗜𝗦 𝗠𝗨𝗥𝗜𝗘𝗟 𝗦𝗭𝗡 𝗕𝗔𝗕𝗬! 😈 https://t.co/5CYfKvJ1OQ
— Orlando City UK (@Orlando_CityUK) February 6, 2024
— Orlando City 🏴 Scotland (@OrlandoCitySCOT) February 6, 2024
Today is a good day pic.twitter.com/yLQUUW6TzM
— spence_beatriceOCSC (@FloridaisPurple) February 6, 2024
Wait. A league best back line AND goals? WE BACK! 💜💜💜💜💜 https://t.co/zuelOX40Q2 pic.twitter.com/fKAyxP5MZe
— Im tired. Tired? Yes, I’m f@#$ing tired. (@Imtired161) February 6, 2024
#OrlandoCity adding some international firepower up top. He and Enrique might just COOK this season, add McGuire back into the mix, with Torres, Angulo, Ojeda and Lodeiro???
Look out Eastern Conference https://t.co/8ptbGwxn9j
— The Designated Players | An MLS Podcast (@TheDPPod1) February 6, 2024
— Kaylyn Kyle (@KaylynKyle) February 8, 2024
We massive, place your bets now for Orlando City winning the league! @OrlandoCitySC #OrlandoCity #VamosOrlando https://t.co/9nPvFe5TBO
— Face of City Daddy (@MightyMike1313) February 7, 2024
Thing we can work in a 4-4-2 with Muriel and Dunc up top? https://t.co/aSDFjLgZei
— Parramore Pundits (@ParPundits) February 6, 2024
I think he will be a good fit on the pitch & culturally
That fee will be spread over the guaranteed years so it’s a small cap hit.
DP cap hit is < 700k so it should be around 1.2 mil cap hit per year for a guy w/good g/a per 90
Only issue is legs. He hasn’t been playing a ton https://t.co/gnzVzIVvka
— Antonio Cruz🏆 (@EddieTheCommish) February 6, 2024
I love Orlando City “Here we go!” tweets https://t.co/OH4PlcwXgK
— Alex Brown (@AlexBrownSwag) February 8, 2024
Baller.
— LAFC Fan TV ⭐️ (@lafcftv) February 6, 2024
Welcome to the show. 😈 pic.twitter.com/wtcFE866rn
— Treasure Coast Collective (@NotoriousTCC) February 6, 2024
🇨🇴🦁 𝗠𝗨𝗥𝗜𝗘𝗟'𝗦 𝗙𝗜𝗥𝗦𝗧 𝗗𝗔𝗬 🦁🇨🇴@Luisfmuriel09 becomes the 1️⃣5️⃣th 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿 that @OrlandoCitySC have had in @MLS. ⭐
Can you name the rest? 😉#OCTwitter #OrlandoCity #MLSUK pic.twitter.com/g5ySuiZJpH
— Orlando City UK (@Orlando_CityUK) February 15, 2024
Muriel looks good in purple 🦁 https://t.co/Eb5GefWXbe
— 🏆 Orlando Lions Den Podcast (@OrlandoLionsDen) February 8, 2024
🇮🇹 From Bergamo to Orlando. 🇺🇸
Really cool picture from @GoalItalia. 👇🏽 pic.twitter.com/QGKiMS8JZK
— Orlando City UK (@Orlando_CityUK) February 12, 2024
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