Orlando City Sells Facundo Torres to Palmeiras

The Facundo Torres era with Orlando City officially ended today with the club announcing his transfer to Brazilian Serie A side Palmeiras for what was described as a club-record fee. While that fee was not disclosed by the club, reports indicate it to be around the $12-million mark and as high as $14 million with add-ons. The Uruguayan winger departs as the Lions’ all-time goal-scoring leader both in the MLS era and the combined USL and MLS eras and leaves a difficult hole for the front office to fill.

“Today I say goodbye to a club that marked an unforgettable stage in my career and in my life, my first experience as a professional away from home,” Torres said in a club press release. “Thank you to the staff, my teammates and all the people who are part of this club for the constant support and trust from the first day. I leave with pride for what we achieved together and with the satisfaction of having left my mark on this club that will always be special to me. I wish you the greatest success in the future. Thank you for everything, Orlando. I’ll miss you.”

Torres joined Orlando City as a Young Designated Player on Jan. 24, 2022 from Peñarol, the club in Montevideo, Uruguay, where he made the jump from youth academy player to professional. After transitioning from a YDP to a standard Designated Player, Torres signed a new contract Jan. 10 of this year through the 2026 season with options for 2027 and 2028. It seemed Torres had embraced the city and the club and was making a commitment to being an Orlando City leader for years to come, but things can, and do, change, and now his time in purple has come to an end.

His impact on the club has been a big one, as he not only has been an offensive leader in his three seasons in Orlando, but helped the Lions win their first trophy in the club’s MLS era in the 2022 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup championship run. His contributions helped Orlando City reach the playoffs each of the last three years, including a run to this year’s Eastern Conference final and a second-place finish in the 2023 Supporters’ Shield standings.

In his three seasons as a Lion, the 24-year-old made 123 appearances (113 starts) across all competitions. He scored a club-record 47 goals, breaking Cyle Larin’s MLS-era mark and Dom Dwyer’s combined USL-MLS record, and added 25 assists. He also holds the club’s record for goals in all competitions in one season (20), which he set this year, and career goal contributions (72). His 14 MLS goals in the regular season were a career high, and at just 24 years old, Torres seemed capable of continuing to develop and improve.

While his value to Orlando City’s roster is evident, the winger was purchased from Peñarol for a reported club-record $7.5 million, so if the reports are even close to accurate, Orlando City could hardly afford to nearly double what it paid for the Designated Player. It would be one of the league’s top 10 transfers in terms of money received and a good bit of business by the club.

“First, we want to thank Facu for everything he has done for this club. He has been involved in so many great moments and successes during his time here that will leave a lasting legacy in our history,” Orlando City Executive Vice President of Soccer Operations and General Manager Luiz Muzzi said in a club press release. “Because of that success, Facu has generated the attention of the global market, and this is a move that, at this time, makes sense for both Facundo and Orlando City. Not only does this continue a great and established relationship with a successful club in Palmeiras, but it shows our success in developing young talent into world stars. We want to thank Facu again for his hard work and everything he has helped bring to our Club and our fans during his time in Orlando. We wish him the best as he takes these next steps in his career.”

The relationship with Palmeiras that Muzzi mentions includes the successful inbound transfers of former Orlando center back Antonio Carlos — one of the best defenders in club history — and current starting winger Ivan Angulo. Along with Orlando City and MLS, Palmeiras announced today’s transfer on social media. After seeing Torres in purple for three years, his new colors may seem a bit jarring to Orlando City fans.

While it may seem strange to sell Torres to a Brazilian club instead of a European side, it makes a bit more sense recently. Brazilian clubs have been active in the transfer market as buyers from MLS sides, including the hefty price Atlanta’s Thiago Almada brought the Georgia-based club earlier this year, which reportedly set a new league record at about $21 million. Torres could still end up in Europe if he can continue developing his game, but for now he’s closer to home, which he will no doubt welcome every time the Uruguayan National Team calls him up for international duty.

What It Means for Orlando City

In short, the Lions have to go shopping, but they’ve got a good chunk of change to do that with after the sale of Torres. They also have an open Designated Player slot. Torres has scored a lot of goals in three seasons, and the club will need to replace his production. It won’t be easy to do that, but there is plenty of money available. Not only is there a lot coming back for Torres’ sale, but MLS revealed this week that Orlando City is sitting on one of the league’s larger piles of General Allocation Money. There is no financial impediment to improving the squad.

There are multiple ways to do that. With Martin Ojeda and Luis Muriel capable of being providers, the Lions could invest in an elite striker, which would make some sense in the short term, with Duncan McGuire likely out until at least mid-May and possibly until late June. Current starter Ramiro Enrique is developing nicely, but if the club can go out and get a consistent 15-goal scorer — and there’s no reason Orlando can’t do that — it can replace Torres’ offense.

Oscar Pareja could deploy an attacking midfield line of Muriel, Ojeda, and Angulo with a new DP center forward. The club could also invest in an elite No. 10 and move Ojeda and/or Muriel into Torres’ former position.

The Lions have not been players in the inbound transfer market yet this off-season, with the Torres sale a necessary first step. But now the pressure is on the front office not just to continue the club’s run of five consecutive postseason appearances, but to find a way to elevate the squad so it can reach the next level.