Orlando City
reaches a deal with two players.
Orlando City gained two new faces Wednesday, announcing the signing of Libyan defender Mohamed ElMunir and the acquisition of midfielder Jose Villarreal from the L.A. Galaxy.
El-Munir will occupy and international spot on the roster. His signing is pending receipt of his International Transfer Certificate and P-1 Visa.
For Villarreal, the Lions gave the Galaxy a thirdround pick in the 2019 MLS SuperDraft.
“Mohamed brings considerable experience in Europe and on the international stage,” Lions General Manager Niki Budalic said. “His great pace, ability on the ball and defensive solidity make him a nice fit for our squad. We can’t wait to get him into camp.
“[Villarreal] is an attackminded player that we feel can contribute in several different roles”
El-Munir, 25, is a versatile left back who joins current Lions Donny Toia and Victor “PC” Giro at that position. He comes to Orlando from Serbian national champion FK Partizan Belgrade, where he made seven appearances in 2017.
El-Munir made 15 appearances and scored three goals for Libya’s national team, and he previously played in UEFA Europa League competition with FC Dinamo Minsk of Belarus. His professional career began in 2010 with Al-Ittihad Tripoli in the Libyan Premier League.
Villarreal, 24, is a California native who played six seasons with the L.A. Galaxy after being signed out of the Galaxy Academy when he was 18.
He was part of the Galaxy’s 2012 and 2014 MLS Cup championship teams, and leaves the club with a total of 70 MLS appearances, five goals and nine assists.
Villarreal also spent time with the LA Galaxy II in the United Soccer League and on loan in Mexico with Liga MX side Cruz Azul.
He will help fill gaps in the midfield left when Kaká retired and Orlando City declined the option on Giles Barnes’ contract.
Defensive midfielders Antonio Nocerino and Servando Carrasco also had their options declined, so there is more work to be done for next season’s roster.
Orlando City had a slow start to the offseason in terms of player movement, but is steadily making changes. The newest additions come a week after Orlando City re-signed midfielder Dillon Powers, acquired defender RJ Allen from New York City FC and signed former North American Soccer League forward Stéfano Pinho.
Kljestan punishment
New York Red Bulls captain Sacha Kljestan has been suspended an additional game and fined for his actions during a fight with Toronto FC striker Jozy Altidore in a stadium tunnel during a playoff match.
Major League Soccer announced the additional suspension for Kljestan on Friday. The league said the decision followed “a thorough internal investigation.”
MLS says the additional game was added to Kljestan's suspension “as a result of an interaction with stadium security personnel” during the halftime tunnel brawl. He will serve what is now a two-game suspension at the beginning of next season. His fine was increased by an undisclosed amount.
Altidore and Kljestan both got red cards after the fight, and Altidore served his one-game suspension during Toronto's next playoff game. Toronto went on to win the MLS Cup, with Altidore scoring the first goal in the title game.
After the clash, each player accused the other of being the aggressor. Altidore said video backed up his account of the incident.
Both teams and Red Bulls coach Jesse Marsch were also fined.