Lions to Add Honduran Striker Bryan Róchez

The Lions are about to sign 19-year-old Honduran striker Bryan Róchez, according to reports.

Perhaps the most telling signal of the impending move is an announcement via Twitter from his club, Real Club Deportivo España:

The player himself has been retweeting a number of social media messages about Orlando City, and was quoted by Honduran site Legión Catracha as saying: “I am proud to play alongside Kaka…but it makes me sad not get to the end with the RE.”

So…this appears to be just about signed, sealed and delivered.

Róchez, a 5-foot-11 native of Tegucigalpa, has played for Real España in the Honduran league the last three seasons and has six caps with the Honduran National Team. He has 30 club goals in the last three years, including 20 in 2013-14. He made his senior debut in 2012. According to reports, Orlando City beat out a host of clubs for his discovery rights.

WFTV Sports Anchor Christian Bruey tweeted that Róchez will be in town tomorrow and will sign his deal on Wednesday (pending his passing a physical):

Despite his young age (he will turn 20 on New Year’s Day), Róchez has been a senior level player for nearly three full seasons. Provided Adrian Heath and Paul McDonough continue to put an experienced nucleus around him, Róchez could stick with the Lions in 2015 rather than be loaned to the club’s USL Pro affiliate, Louisville City FC.

It is likely that his signing, along with the rumored addition of Colombian attacker Carlos Rivas, will not be officially announced by the club until after Wednesday’s MLS Expansion Draft.

Update: Someone has already updated Rochez’s Wikipedia page, making Orlando City his “current team.” We’re not sure that makes it official, but everyone knows that if it’s on the internet, it must be true.