Junior Urso Returns to Orlando City

Orlando City has announced the return of midfielder Junior Urso on a contract that runs through the end of the 2023 Major League Soccer season. The deal also contains an option year that could see him brought back for the 2024 season. Once his P-1 Visa and International Transfer Certificate go through, he’ll be ready and available for selection. With Martin Ojeda now occupying the no. 11 shirt, the Bear will wear No. 21 on his back for his return to The City Beautiful.

The 34-year-old midfielder makes his return to the Lions less than a year after he left at the end of last season to return to Brazil for personal reasons, and people around the club are understandably happy about it.

“We’re so excited to sign Júnior again and be able to bring him back to the club,” Orlando City Executive Vice President of Soccer Operations and General Manager Luiz Muzzi said in a club press release. “We’re gearing up for our push to playoffs this year and we already know the depth of experience that he can add to this group. Júnior meant so much to the entire club during his first stint with us and we’re happy to welcome him back home to Orlando.”

Urso said he’s happy to be back in purple and hungry for more silverware after helping Orlando win the U.S. Open Cup last year.

“I am very happy to be back. The time I spent away was a difficult time for me,” Urso said in the club’s release. “I left the club, but I didn’t want to leave, I needed to leave, but today I am happy to be back. I am so thankful to the club for welcoming me back and for giving me this new opportunity to be here with you all. Orlando makes me very happy — happy to be here with the fans and with my teammates, and I hope we do great things together. We are after another trophy which is what this club and community deserves.”

Urso had been back to visit OCSC several weeks ago, and pictures were popping up on social media of him training with the team, leading to suspicions online about a potential reunion with the Lions. Those suspicions are now confirmed.

The midfielder originally joined Orlando City on Jan. 13, 2020 from Brazilian giants Corinthians and has since made 100 appearances as a Lion in all competitions, starting 89 of those matches. He has scored 12 goals and added 10 assists in MLS play in his three previous seasons in Orlando, logging a total of 14 goals and 11 assists in all competitive matches. Urso has played in all four of Orlando City’s MLS playoff matches, providing one goal, and helped the team get to the postseason in the 2022 season finale with an exquisite turn and strike to beat both Jonathan Mensah and Eloy Room. That game allowed the Lions to pull level with the Columbus Crew and the team went on to win on a Facundo Torres penalty.

He played in seven matches with Coritiba after returning to his native Brazil this past off-season.

A club spokesman said Orlando City is double-checking with officials to see if Urso’s red card from the 2021 Leagues Cup match at Exploria Stadium against Santos Laguna still needs to be served, as the competition is being treated as a new one in terms of record keeping.

What it Means for Orlando City

Urso’s return immediately strengthens the defensive midfield, an area of the field where Orlando could use some help. Wilder Cartagena and Cesar Araujo have been fantastic at playing the double pivot for the Lions this year, but the drop-off from either one of those two guys to Felipe has been noticeable when the Brazilian midfielder has been on the field. Urso’s addition gives the club another true No. 8, as Cartagena and Araujo both fit more of a No. 6 mold and Mauricio Pereyra has played as an 8 but is a more natural No. 10. Urso has more of a nose for goal than any of those three or Felipe.

Urso not only gives OCSC an extra body in central midfield for times when the fixture list is congested, but he also adds versatility as he’s been deployed as an attacking midfielder at times under Oscar Pareja as well. We’ve all seen firsthand that he’ll run until his lungs burst, and having a guy like that in the rotation is never going to be a bad thing.

Urso logged five goals and seven assists during the 2022 season — both high watermarks during his time with the Lions. Moreover, he’s intimately familiar with the way that Oscar Pareja wants to play, and shouldn’t require a great deal of time to adjust to the system, although there are some new faces around him. This is a signing that should be able to come in and contribute almost immediately.

Fans will be delighted to have him back in purple, as he was a favorite at Exploria Stadium due to his high motor, tenacious style of play, and patented bear celebration. Off the field, he offers a veteran presence and leadership that’s important to have in a locker room, and he was a key part of the club’s culture before his departure.