Minnesota United announced today the club has signed Paraguayan forward Luis Amarilla via transfer from Vélez Sarsfield from Argentina’s Primera División, as a Designated Player, on a two-year contract, with two club options. Amarilla will join the Loons pending a physical and receipt of his P1 Visa and ITC. Additionally, the Paraguyan will occupy an international spot on Minnesota’s roster.
“We’re delighted to welcome him back. He still owes us 23 goals, as he promised us 25 when he arrived here in 2020,” said MNUFC Head Coach Adrian Heath. “We felt then he would be a consistent goal scorer in the league and we feel the same again. He’s had another really productive year [in Quito] and we felt, when the opportunity came, it was too good to turn down. There is a sense of unfinished business and he’s expressed a real desire to come back. With Luis, there is some familiarity that you don’t always get with international players. We know him and we know what type of character we’re getting on and off the field. Competition for places will be fierce, but we feel as though he’ll be big plus for us this year.”
MNUFC brings back Amarilla after a 15-goal season on loan with Liga Deportiva Universitaria (LDU) Quito, where he helped the Ecuadorian Liga PRO side win the league championship. Additionally, he played in Libertadores, Supercopa Educador and Copa Sudamericana during the 2021 season. Amarilla played ten games while on loan with the Loons in 2020, scoring three goals with one assist, including two in the first two games of the season. He missed the majority of the 2020 season with an ankle injury.
“It’s a return that I wanted. I wanted to come back. I wanted to return. Even more so, it’s a city that I think is fantastic,” said forward Luis Amarilla. “I’m very happy and with all the desire to get going and play. For me, [2020] was not the season that I wanted, because of my injury. But today, I’m here with the hope and ambition to do things the right way, do things differently. Hopefully, it’s a great year.”
Prior to 2020, the 26-year-old goalscorer spent the 2019 season with Universidad Católica of Ecuador’s Liga PRO where he scored 19 goals in 24 game appearances to lead the league in the Serie A season. Prior to being loaned out, Amarilla spent the 2017 and 2018 season with Argentina’s Vélez Sarsfield, where he made a total of 12 game appearances over two seasons. The Paraguayan international began his professional career in Paraguay at Club Libertad of the first division in 2013-2016, making 13 game appearances, but was on loan during the 2014 and 2016 seasons to Club 3 de Febrero and Sol de America, respectively. Internationally, Amarilla made his senior national team debut in 2021 for the side’s World Cup Qualifiers. He now has four caps for the Paraguay National Team.
Transaction: Minnesota United signs Luis Amarilla as a Designated Player to a two-year contract, with two club options.
VITALS
Luis Amarilla
Position: Forward
Date of birth: 08.25.1995 (26 years old)
Height: 6’0”
Weight: 163lb
Last club: Club Atlético Vélez Sarsfield
Hometown: Areguá, Paraguay
Citizenship: Paraguay
