Orlando City Officially Announces Luis Muriel Signing

Orlando City announced the long-reported signing of forward Luis Muriel as the club’s newest Designated Player. The striker arrives from Atalanta in Italy’s Serie A on a three-year contract through 2026. The move is pending recepit of Muriel’s International Transfer Certificate and P-1 Visa.

“We are very excited to welcome Luis to Orlando,” Orlando City Executive Vice President and General Manager Luiz Muzzi said in a club press release. “Whenever he’s on the field, he’s a player that is known to always be a threat to score, will force defenses to account for him at all times, and has the ability to combine with and make his teammates better. His accolades and statistics over his career thus far speak for themselves. He’s someone that we feel will help us take the next step in our pursuit to win trophies, not only this season but in the future as well.”

The 32-year-old native of Santo Tomás, Colombia had been with Atalanta since 2019, scoring 54 goals in 144 career matches in Serie A. Across his career, Muriel has scored 151 goals and added 73 assists in 471 matches in all competitions, playing in Colombia, Spain, and Italy, and participating in both the UEFA Champions League and Europa League. He has 103 career goals in the stingy Serie A and was named to the Serie A Team of the Year for the 2020-2021 campaign after a 22-goal, 9-assist season. Prior to joining Atalanta, Muriel represented such clubs as Udinese, Sampdoria, Sevilla, Lecce, and Deportivo Cali.

“I am very excited and happy to be here, to live the atmosphere that is this city of the team and with a lot of desire to get started,” Muriel said in the club’s press release. “I had various offers when Oscar [Pareja] and Orlando called me. I made this decision when looking at the development of this club, the players here and the desires of everyone to win titles. All were things that went into my decision. I’m excited to get started.”

On the international stage, Muriel has made 51 career appearances with the Colombian Men’s National Team, scoring 12 career international goals since 2012.

What It Means for Orlando City

The Lions needed to add firepower up top after transferring Ercan Kara last season. With Duncan McGuire’s future in Orlando uncertain after he was all-but-transferred to Blackburn in recent weeks, Muzzi needed to add someone who could fill the net. The club will likely still be in the market for a striker in the summer window if McGuire moves on.

Muriel is a player who can find the net. If he can assimilate quickly to Major League Soccer, this signing gives the Lions a player who can finish plays and create space for teammates like Facundo Torres, Ivan Angulo, Nico Lodeiro, and Martin Ojeda.

This signing fills a big need for the Lions.