Who is new Orlando City SC signing Adrián Marín?

/ Taylor Williams

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After Ricardo Moreira teased a new arrival with his best Fabrizio Romano impression, Orlando City SC have now officially announced the signing of Adrián Marín from Braga.

The experienced Spanish left back has joined the Lions through 2026, with a club option for 2027, pending receipt of his P-1 Visa and International Transfer Certificate.

After Tyrese Spicer joined last Friday, Marín becomes City’s second new signing of the MLS Secondary Transfer Window. The 28-year-old has been handed the #21 jersey at Inter&Co Stadium – last worn by Júnior Urso in 2023.

>> CLICK HERE TO VIEW ADRIÁN MARÍN’S PLAYER PROFILE <<

Who is Adrián Marín?

Born on January 9, 1997, in Torre-Pacheco, Spain, Adrián Marín is a product of the Villarreal youth academy.

Joining the Spanish club at the age of 12, Marín is a left back and stands at 6 ft 1 in.

Left-footed, Marín has also demonstrated the versatility to slot in as a left-sided centre back or left wing back when needed.

Adrián Marín’s senior debut came with Villarreal C in the Tercera División during the 2013/14 season, followed by appearances for Villarreal B in Segunda División B.

By August 2014, he made his first team debut for Villarreal in a UEFA Europa League qualifier against FC Astana, before featuring in La Liga less than a month later – starting a 0-0 draw away at Granada CF.

His early promise led to a loan spell with Leganés in the 2016/17 La Liga campaign, before earning a first team promotion and contract extension upon returning to Villarreal.

Marín later signed a three-year deal with Deportivo Alavés in 2018, and while limited to just 28 competitive appearances, he remained a top-flight presence in Spain.

A move to Granada was followed by a loan spell at Famalicão, where he enjoyed his most productive season in front of goal, recording 33 appearances and 4 goals in 2021/22.

After a year with Gil Vicente, he joined Braga in June 2023, helping the club win the 2023/24 Taça da Liga (Portuguese League Cup).

Over the course of his professional career, Marín has made 212 appearances across La Liga, the Primeira Liga, and European competition, scoring six goals and providing six assists.

Marín’s international experience

Adrián Marín has represented Spain across multiple youth levels – U-17, U-18, U-19, and U-21 – making 11 appearances in total and scoring three goals at U-19 level.

His single appearance for the U-21’s came in a 3-0 loss to Croatia during UEFA Euro Under-21 qualifying in March 2016.

He never earned a senior cap, but his extensive youth involvement shows the calibre of player we’re adding to our squad.

Introductory words

General Manager & Sporting Director, Ricardo Moreira said: “Adrián is an experienced and versatile defender who adds quality, consistency and tactical flexibility to our backline with his ability to play both full-back and centre back roles.

“He’s competed at a high level in one of Europe’s top leagues and brings the type of leadership and composure we value on and off the pitch.

“We’ve been following Adrián’s career for several years and are thrilled to seize this opportunity to strengthen our team by welcoming him to Orlando.”

With Marín now added to our first team roster, here’s how Orlando City SC’s 2025 squad is looking.

Is Adrián Marín the right fit for Orlando City SC?

Absolutely.

Left back depth has been an issue, but not anymore!

With his contract set to expire on December 31, Rafael Santos has fallen out of favour this year, losing his left back spot to David Brekalo.

Now, with the arrival of Adrián Marín, it’s hard to see Santos getting many minutes for the remainder of the season.

Marín can now compete with Brekalo, bringing not only natural left-footedness but also years of experience at the highest level.

Marín’s tactical discipline and positional intelligence make him a great fit for Oscar Pareja’s structured defensive system, especially in transition-heavy matches where maintaining composure is crucial.

His ability to also slot in as a left-sided centre-back gives Orlando greater tactical fluidity – something that could come in handy if Papi chooses to deploy a back three in specific scenarios.

As we push towards the post-season, Marín’s arrival provides leadership, depth, and quality to a back line that has already logged a ton of minutes this season.

At 28, Marín is in his prime and arrives hungry for a new challenge in Major League Soccer after winning the Portuguese League Cup with Braga in 2023/24.

Adrián Marín becomes the fourth Spanish player to represent Orlando City SC in MLS, following David Mateos, Uri Rosell, and Alejandro Granados.

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