Orlando City Loans Gaston Gonzalez to Uruguayan Side Nacional

Orlando City has announced that Argentine winger Gaston Gonzalez has been loaned to Uruguayan top-flight side Nacional through 2024. The loan deal includes an option for Nacional to buy Gonzalez. With a glut of left-footed wingers, the 22-year-old will have an opportunity to get more minutes on the pitch to help his development while playing for the Tricolores alongside former Orlando City captain Mauricio Pereyra.

“This loan is a great opportunity for Gastón to find his game again and reenergize himself,” Orlando City Executive Vice President of Soccer Operations and General Manager Luiz Muzzi said in a club press release. “He’ll have the opportunity to play in Copa Libertadores for the first time and an opportunity to get competitive minutes.”

Orlando City signed Gonzalez from Club Atlético Unión de Santa Fe to an MLS U22 Initiative contract on May 5, 2022 on a deal through the 2024 season with club options for 2025, 2026, and 2027. Gonzalez tore his ACL in his final game with his old club, delaying his debut as a Lion until the 2023 season. Gonzalez started slowly, but just as he was beginning to show signs of the player the Lions were so excited to sign, he got injured again and missed a good chunk of the middle part of the season. Once he returned, Oscar Pareja had settled on his rotation for the stretch run and he played sparingly in five of Orlando City’s final six matches.

The Santa Fe, Argentina native appeared in 18 regular-season matches with the Lions in 2023, starting seven, and logging 712 minutes on the pitch. Playing primarily at left wing but also seeing time at left wingback, he did not score a goal but tallied two assists, attempting six shots and getting three of them on target. He passed at a 75.1% success rate and registered four key passes and eight successful crosses. Defensively, Gonzalez tallied 13 tackles, five interceptions, 10 clearances, and two blocks. He suffered seven fouls while committing 15 but did not receive a booking in 2023.

He did not appear in any of Orlando City’s three playoff matches or the club’s three Leagues Cup games, however, he did play in both of the Lions’ Concacaf Champions League matches and in Orlando’s U.S. Open Cup game at Charlotte.

In Champions League play, Gonzalez came off the bench in both matches against Tigres, totaling 42 minutes of action. He did not record a goal or an assist, attempting just one shot, which was off target. Gonzalez completed four of his seven pass attempts (57.1%) and did not have a key pass. He finished with two tackles, committed four fouls without drawing one, and received one yellow card.

In the U.S. Open Cup, Gonzalez started at Charlotte and played 69 minutes. He did not have a goal contribution and attempted just one shot, which was off target. Gonzalez completed 64.3% of his 14 pass attempts and did not have a key pass. He did not commit or draw a foul and was not booked.

What It Means for Orlando City

Gonzalez’s start in Orlando got off to a rocky start due to injuries. Although he showed flashes of his talent in the few matches in which he was healthy, the Argentine winger figures to struggle to get on the field with Ivan Angulo, Facundo Torres, and Martin Ojeda all being able to play on the left wing. With this loan to Nacional, he’ll have chances to improve and gain experience for one of the top clubs in Uruguay’s Primera División. The danger, of course, is that Gonzalez finds his form, plays well, and Nacional exercises its option to buy.

It’s not always easy for a young international to move to a new country and a new culture, and it can’t make it any easier when that player suffers injuries that prevent him from getting on the field, so if nothing else, this will give Gonzalez a chance to regroup and get his promising career back on track.

Orlando City also frees up a roster spot ahead of the 2024 season.