Orlando City Acquires Paraguayan International Midfielder Braian Ojeda from Real Salt Lake

Orlando City made official the previously reported acquisition of midfielder Braian Ojeda from Real Salt Lake. In exchange, the Lions sent RSL $650,000 in 2026 General Allocation Money (GAM), another $650,000 in 2027 GAM, and potentially another $475,000 in GAM if the Paraguayan international reaches unnamed performance-based metrics. Real Salt Lake retains a percentage of any fee if Orlando City sells Ojeda in the future. OCSC also inked Ojeda to a new contract through the 2028-2029 season with a club option for 2029-2030.

“Braian is a high-energy, all-around midfielder who immediately strengthens our midfield,” Orlando City General Manager and Sporting Director Ricardo Moreira said in a club press release. “He brings valuable international experience, can play different roles in the midfield in our model, and has already proven his quality and consistency in our league. We look forward to welcoming Braian to Orlando and getting him integrated with our squad.”

Ojeda, 25, joined Real Salt Lake Aug. 4, 2022 on loan from Nottingham Forest in the EFL Championship. RSL later made that loan permanent. During his time in Utah, Ojeda has appeared in 123 matches across all competitions, scoring seven goals and adding seven assists, helping lead RSL to the postseason each year he wore the club’s colors. Prior to joining RSL, the Itaguá, Paraguay native played in three matches from 2021-2023 with Nottingham Forest prior to his loan.

He began his professional career in 2018 with Asunción, Paraguay-based side Club Olimpia, scoring one goal in 28 appearances. He also spent one year on loan with Defensa y Justicia in Argentina in 2019-2020, making 10 appearances with El Halcón.

On the international stage, Ojeda has 14 caps with Paraguay but is still looking for his first goal with the senior team.

What It Means for Orlando City

Ojeda is a solid replacement for Cesar Araujo, but also has the ability to play the No. 8. This roster flexibility will serve Orlando City well, as he can start as the No. 6 or spell Eduard Atuesta. Ojeda joins central midfielders Atuesta, Wilder Cartagena, recent MLS U22 Initiative signing Luis Otavio, Homegrown Player Colin Guske, and second-year pro Joran Gerbet, who is still recovering from a knee injury and will miss a chunk of the 2026 season. It would seem the club is set in central midfield with solid depth.

Orlando’s newest midfielder is a strong defensive player and passes well. Our Ben Miller wrote about the comparison between he and Araujo in a story that published earlier today. He’s not going to add a lot to the offense, but neither did Araujo. The Paraguayan is less prone to yellow cards (and, subsequently, suspensions), as he has spread 17 cards out over his four years in the league, with no more than six in any single year. He’s been sent off once. Araujo, by comparison, picked up 33 yellow cards the last four seasons, was sent off twice, and never had fewer than six bookings in a year, averaging 8.25 per season in MLS play.

With the central midfield set, the club must finalize a new starting goalkeeper — reportedly Canadian international Maxime Crepeau — and shore up the center back position. Other needs include fullback depth and perhaps another forward. If Orlando can find a taker for Luis Muriel, that could even be a new Designated Player up top. The Lions must also re-sign Alex Freeman to prevent the club getting nothing for him after 2026, and (if reports are accurate) completing a loan that would free up Nico Rodriguez’s MLS U22 Initiative slot (which could be used on Freeman).

Perhaps not the biggest thing this signing means is that announcers and writers will now have to differentiate between two Ojedas.