PORTLAND, Ore. – The Portland Timbers have acquired Chilean international forward Felipe Mora on a one-year loan with an option to exercise a permanent transfer from Liga MX side Club Universidad Nacional A.C., also known as Pumas UNAM, using Targeted Allocation Money (TAM), it was announced today. Mora will occupy an international roster slot pending receipt of his International Transfer Certificate and P-1 Visa.
“Felipe is a player who our staff knows very well and was on the short list of DP forwards that we were scouting, so being able to bring him in on loan for the year is beneficial to both Pumas UNAM and the Timbers,” said Gavin Wilkinson, general manager and president of soccer for the Timbers. “He is a proven goal scorer that gives Gio and the staff tactical flexibility and another quality attacking option.”
Mora, 26, joins the Timbers after having played the last two Liga MX campaigns with Pumas UNAM (2018-20), where he tallied 19 goals in 65 appearances (50 starts). In his first season at Pumas (2018-19), Mora notched 16 goals in 48 appearances (43 starts) across all competitions. Mora appeared in 17 matches (7 starts) for Pumas last season (2019-20), tallying three goals across all competitions.
Prior to joining Pumas, Mora played one season for Liga MX side Cruz Azul (2017-18), where he scored 14 goals in 40 games played (31 starts) across all competitions. The Santiago, Chile, native had his most prolific stint with Chilean Primera División side Universidad de Chile (2016-17), tallying 20 goals in 30 games played (20 starts) across all competitions. Notably, Mora finished the 2017 Clausura campaign as the league’s leading goal scorer (13) and helped Universidad claim the 2017 Primera División Clausura title.
“Felipe is an accomplished and dangerous goal scorer who has succeeded at a very high level, and we are excited to have him on the team,” said Giovanni Savarese, head coach of the Timbers. “He has already made himself at home with us and we can clearly see his character matches his ability.”
Mora began his professional career with Chilean Primera División side Audax Italiano (2011-16), where he made 137 appearances (97 starts) and recorded 44 goals across all competitions. In just his second career start for Audax, Mora tallied a hat trick as an 18 year old in a 4-3 win over Cobreloa on Sept. 11, 2011. During the 2015-16 Primera División campaign, Mora tallied 12 goals in 26 matches played (25 starts). Notably, Mora scored seven goals in 10 Copa Chile appearances for Audax in 2015.
At the international level, Mora has made five appearances for the Chile Men’s National Team, tallying one goal since making his debut against Romania on May 31, 2018. Mora scored the first goal of his international career in a 3-2 victory over Guinea on Oct. 15, 2019.
Transaction: Portland Timbers acquire forward Felipe Mora on a one-year loan with an option to exercise a permanent transfer from Liga MX sidePumas UNAM using Targeted Allocation Money (TAM) on Jan. 31, 2020
Felipe Mora
Position: Forward
Height: 5-9
Weight: 150
Born: Aug. 2, 1993, in Santiago, Chile
Last Club: Pumas UNAM (Mexico)
Citizenship: Chile
Acquired: Acquired on loan from Liga MX side Pumas UNAM using Targeted Allocation Money (TAM) on Jan. 31, 2020
