New Portland Timbers winger Ishmael Yartey, the former Ghanaian youth international and current loanee from Swiss club FC Sion, arrived in Portland last Friday night.
The very next day, Yartey was already at Providence Park, where he witnessed his new club defeat FC Dallas 3-1 in front of a sold-out crowd.
"I've heard a lot about how passionate the fans are here, but to experience it was very impressive," Yartey told Timbers.com on Monday. "I was very impressed with the way the fans were behind the team. It was something different from what I've been seeing in Switzerland."
For now, Yartey is pleased that he's finally arrived in the City of Roses.
"I feel so happy that I am here since it's been a long time since we've been discussing about my coming and it took time," he said. "But I'm very happy that finally I'm here."
When given the opportunity to go out on loan from Sion, Yartey chose Portland, he says, because of the quality of the club on and off the pitch.
"I had the opportunity to speak with the coach and he spoke very well with me and told me how the team plays and how he would like me to play," Yartey said. "I was very happy with the way he spoke to me and the style of Portland and I decided to join the club."
Following Yartey’s first training with the Timbers on Monday, head coach Caleb Porter described his newest player as quick and technical. And while Yartey only participated in one-touch drills, Porter added that Yartey's ability off the dribble is another huge component of the Ghanaian's game.
"He's another depth piece," Porter said. "He's left-footed, but he's capable of coming in from the right or playing more as a true winger from the left. He's a 1v1 player -- he likes to create off the dribble -- but he's another player that we can use, whether starting or coming off the bench."
Before arriving in Portland, though, the 25 year-old Yartey played for several clubs across Europe.
Fresh off of a strong individual performance in the 2007 FIFA U-17 World Championship, where he scored a goal against Colombia in the group stage, Yartey signed with Portuguese giant S.L. Benfica. There, Yartey learned from coaches like José Antonio Camacho and Quique Flores.
However, after four seasons with Benfica, many of which he spent on loan to other Portuguese clubs, Yartey moved to French Ligue 1 side FC Sochaux-Montbéliard.
Despite making 15 total appearances for Sochaux, Yartey moved to his current club, Swiss side FC Sion, in 2013. Since the 2013-2014 season, Yartey has made 27 appearances for Sion.
While the Ghanaian has yet to make an appearance for his country's senior national team, he was called up to the roster for two international matches in the lead-up to the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
While at national team camp, Yartey shared time on the pitch with current Timbers goalkeeper Adam Kwarasey but not until Saturday night, however, had he ever formally met his fellow countryman.
For now, Yartey is just focused on adjusting to his new home and getting out onto the training field.
"I'm just going to work hard and wait for the coach to give me a role to play on the team," he said.
