PORTLAND, Ore. – The Portland Timbers announced today that the club has acquired Paraguayan defender Jorge Moreira on loan with a purchase option from Superliga Argentina side River Plate, utilizing Targeted Allocation Money (TAM). Moreira will be added to the Timbers roster, pending receipt of his International Transfer Certificate (ITC) and P-1 visa.
“We are very pleased to add a player of Jorge Moreira’s quality and experience to our roster this season,” said Gavin Wilkinson, general manager and president of soccer for the Timbers. “Right back was a positional need and we are delighted for Jorge to join the Timbers. He brings a wealth of experience from one of the top clubs in South America and possesses an array of complementary attributes that will benefit our group.”
Moreira, 29, made over 250 professional appearances in South America since making his debut in 2009. A native of Villarrica, Paraguay, Moreira played the past three Superliga Argentina seasons with River Plate (2016-19), where he tallied two goals and three assists in 58 appearances (57 starts) across all competitions. Moreira helped the club claim the 2018 CONMEBOL Copa Libertadores, the 2017 Supercopa Argentina, the 2015-16 and 2016-17 Copa Argentina and the 2016 CONMEBOL Recopa Sudamericana. Additionally, Moreira started and played 46 minutes in River Plate’s 4-0 win over the Kashima Antlers in the FIFA Club World Cup third-place final on Dec. 22, 2018.
“Jorge is an experienced player who has played at the highest level in South America and internationally, and his addition further strengthens our defensive group,” said Giovanni Savarese, head coach of the Timbers. “As a right back, he has shown to be balanced defensively and comfortable with the ball and going forward, and his addition will create an additional level of competition to our club this season.”
In the current 2018-19 Superliga Argentina campaign, Moreira appeared in eight matches (8 starts), logging 650 minutes. In his first season at River Plate, Moreira started 25 league matches, tallying a goal and three assists and helping Los Millonarios finish second in the league table. Additionally, Moreira made two starts in the 2016 Recopa Sudamericana, a contest between the winners of the previous season’s Copa Libertadores and Copa Sudamericana tournaments, helping River Plate defeat Colombian side Santa Fe 2-1 on aggregate in the two-legged final.
Prior to playing for River Plate, Moreira played seven seasons for Paraguayan side Club Libertad (2010-16), where he made 217 appearances (196 starts) and registered six goals across all competitions. Moreira helped Libertad claim five Primera División league trophies, including the 2016 Apertura, 2014 Clausura, 2014 Apertura, 2012 Clausura and the 2010 Clausura. In international cup competitions, Moreira made 19 appearances (15 starts) in the Copa Libertadores and 22 starts in the Copa Sudamericana during his time with Libertad. Moreira was a member of the Libertad squad that reached the semifinals of the 2013 Copa Sudamericana, making 10 starts in the tournament before falling 4-2 on aggregate to Argentine side Club Atlético Lanús.
At the international level, Moreira has 17 caps for the Paraguay Men’s National Team. The defender made nine starts for Paraguay during the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying. Additionally, Moreira made three starts for Paraguay at the 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Egypt.
Moreira will occupy an international slot on the Timbers roster.
Transaction: Portland Timbers acquire defender Jorge Moreira on loan with a purchase option from Superliga Argentina side River Plate utilizing Targeted Allocation Money on Feb. 20, 2019
Jorge Moreira
Position: Defender
Height: 5-8
Weight: 165
Born: Feb. 1, 1990, in Villarrica, Paraguay
Last Club: River Plate (Argentina)
Citizenship: Paraguay
Acquired: Acquired on loan with a purchase option from Superliga Argentina side River Plate on Feb. 20, 2019
