After a short, breathless, and exciting off-season of refreshment, anticipation fills the air as Oscar Pareja’s Orlando City SC kick off the 2025 Major League Soccer campaign.
Starting at home for an eleventh consecutive MLS season, City open against Philadelphia Union for the first time after our crushing 2024 Eastern Conference Final defeat to New York Red Bulls back in November. Continue reading
Earlier today, Orlando City SC traded Michael Halliday to Houston Dynamo and mutually terminated Nicolás Lodeiro’s contract, clearing the way for him to join Dynamo as well. In news first exclusively revealed by Tom Bogert yesterday, the Lions exercised a buyout option to free Lodeiro’s corresponding salary from their budget space. In the end, Dynamo only paid slightly above league minimum salary. As for Halliday, City traded the 22-year-old to Dynamo in exchange for a natural first round pick in the 2026 MLS SuperDraft.
Orlando City SC’s eighth all-time Homegrown Player, Michael Halliday, moves on after making 36 MLS appearances for the Lions since signing a first team contract in July 2020. Hailing from Apopka, and successfully graduating through both our academy and Orlando City B, Halliday made his senior debut in a 2-1 defeat at New York Red Bulls back on May 29, 2021. With Alex Freeman having surpassed him in the depth chart and Dagur Dan Thórhallsson being our starting right back, Halliday now embarks on a fresh start in Texas.
Meanwhile, Nicolás Lodeiro departs Orlando City SC after just one season in Central Florida. City signed Lodeiro in January 2024 as a Targeted Allocation Money (TAM) player, expecting him to play a key role. However, under Oscar Pareja, the two-time MLS Cup champion found himself used more as a depth option rather than a guaranteed starter. Still having made 34 MLS appearances for the Lions last season, Lodeiro won Orlando City UK’s 2024 ‘Newcomer of the Year’ award. Beating out competition from David Brekalo and Luis Muriel, he now moves on to play in the Western Conference again. Continue reading
As we approach our 2025 MLS home opener against Philadelphia Union on February 22, the Orlando City SC Front Office continues to work tirelessly to strengthen the squad. After securing ready-made reinforcements in Marco Pašalić and Eduard Atuesta over the past two weeks, our latest target is reportedly young Uruguayan talent Agustín Soria.
Yesterday, journalist Guille López (@glopezferraro) tweeted that Orlando City SC have formalised an offer for the 20-year-old midfielder from Defensor Sporting, following an initial proposal that was deemed insufficient. With a $6 million release clause, Orlando City SC’s persistence signals their commitment to landing the promising youngster. Continue reading
16 days after Wilder Cartagena suffered a long-term Achilles tendon injury against Atlético Mineiro, Orlando City SC have today announced the signing of 27-year-old Colombian international Eduard Atuesta. Bringing trophy-winning experience to Inter&Co Stadium, the deep-lying playmaker adds much-needed quality and depth to our central midfield position.
Atuesta joins the Lions on a suspected free transfer after terminating his contract with Palmeiras. The transaction details are so secret that even Tom Bogert and Fabrizio Romano haven’t reported on them! Considering we sold Facundo Torres to Palmeiras for a club record $14 million back on December 20, Verdão have now paid us a big favour in return. Having signed a contract through 2025, with a club option in 2026, Atuesta becomes our fifth 2024/25 off-season arrival after Colin Guske, Nicolás Rodríguez, Carlos Mercado, and Marco Pasǎlić. Continue reading
As the MLS off-season continues, Orlando City SC are working hard to strengthen the squad ahead of our 2025 campaign. Yesterday, North American transfer expert Tom Bogert tweeted that the Lions “are nearing a deal to sign Colombian midfielder Eduard Atuesta from Palmeiras.”
If Orlando City SC finalise this deal, it will be a significant reinforcement. Eduard Atuesta is a proven MLS talent who knows the league inside out, making him a strong addition to the Lions’ midfield, especially considering Wilder Cartagena’s untimely Achilles tendon injury. Continue reading
As the MLS off-season progresses, Orlando City SC are currently exploring various options to strengthen our roster. Earlier today, North American transfer expert Tom Bogert tweeted that City are “in advanced talks to sign Croatia international winger Marco Pašalić from HNK Rijeka.” Previously knocked back in our pursuit of Club América’s Alejandro Zendejas, Pašalić has now emerged as a viable alternative.
Bogert noted that while “no deal is agreed or done” – with the Lions still monitoring “other targets” – Pašalić “would be a DP winger if it gets done.” Marco Pašalić, 24, has earned five senior international caps with Croatia and was part of Zlatko Dalić’s final 26-man squad for UEFA Euro 2024. Continue reading
(Credit: Transfermarkt)
28 days after the club record $14 million sale of Facundo Torres to Palmeiras, Orlando City SC have today announced the signing of 20-year-old Colombian forward Nicolás Rodríguez, adding some crucial depth to our right wing position.
Joining the Lions as an U22 Initiative player, Rodríguez arrives from Fortaleza CEIF for a fee reportedly worth $1 million. Having signed a contract through 2027, with a club option in 2028, the young Colombian becomes our second 2024/25 off-season arrival after Colin Guske. Continue reading
(Credit: Transfermarkt)
After a very slow start, the Lions’ winter recruitment drive is finally gathering momentum. Thank heavens! In the early hours of this morning, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano tweeted that Orlando City SC are “closing in on deal for Colombian 20-year-old talent Nicolás Rodríguez from Fortaleza”.
Shortly after Romano’s tweet, Tom Bogert corroborated the news, tweeting “Orlando City finalizing deal to sign Colombia winger Nico Rodríguez from Fortaleza” while confirming that Rodríguez will join via Major League Soccer’s U22 Initiative.
Bogert also mentioned that Colombian journalist Pipe Sierra (@PSierraR) was the first to break the news. Sierra cited himself that Orlando City SC had beat off competition from Colombian side Millonarios to sign Nicolás Rodríguez. Not only them but also New York Red Bulls with Tiago Brandão (@Tiagobrandao_8) confirming that our 2024 Eastern Conference Final conquerers tried to sign Rodríguez too. Continue reading
The MLS SuperDraft is the most exciting event in the lives of every young North American college soccer player.
With Rounds 1, 2 and 3 of the 2025 MLS SuperDraft getting underway this Friday (December 20), Orlando City UK took this moment to reflect on how Orlando City SC’s annual picks have fared since our inaugural 2015 season. Continue reading
This past week, we asked Orlando City SC supporters on X to select their Orlando City SC Player of the Year, Young Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year for 2024 as part of our annual Orlando City UK end-of-season awards.
A public vote designed to recognise the standout Orlando City SC players in our promising, yet ultimately unfruitful 2024 campaign, we can now proudly reveal the winners as voted by you! Continue reading
