Lions signee Aiás arrives in Orlando
Orlando City fans are buzzing with excitement over the arrival of new striker Matheus Aiás, who could be the next star goal scorer for the Lions.
The Brazilian landed in Florida during the weekend. It took four weeks to complete visa paperwork after his signing was announced on Aug. 21. He is expected to begin training with the team after complying with the league’s medical restrictions, which include quarantine to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
The club is waiting for MLS to indicate how long Aiás will be restricted before he can joining team training. He went through his initial evaluation on Sunday when he also spoke with coach Oscar Pareja in person for the first time.
“The thing that I like the most is seeing the joy that he had to be part of the group and be part of Orlando City,” Pareja said. “He was just very eager to start training, and when you see that from a player that is exciting.”
Coming fresh off a season with Mirandés in Spain’s second flight, Aiás could make his debut with the Lions by the end of Phase 2 of the MLS regular season.
The Lions signed Aiás to a 2½-year contract on Aug. 21, filling a hole left in the attack by designated player Dom Dwyer’s season-ending knee injury.
Aiás hasn’t been formally introduced to his new teammates yet, but he spoke with several teammates such as No. 10 Mauricio Pereyra on Sunday along with Pareja.
“The expectation that we have is really big,” Pereyra said. “Everybody knows that he’s a great player and he had some years in Europe and I think he can bring some quality to the team, too. In this phase that we are in now, [as] we
are growing up, it’s good to have a new player and it’s a big challenge for him too.”
Aiás, 23, stood out to executive vice president of soccer operations Luiz Muzzi due to his hunger to score as many goals as possible. The striker is a high-energy player who is expected to fit smoothly into Pareja’s style of play, pressuring heavily in the attacking third and fir
ing shots any time he sees an opening.
Aiás was on the radar of both Muzzi and scouting director Ricardo Moreira for several years. After he netted 23 goals during the past two seasons with Mirandés — including a six-goal tear in last year’s Copa del Rey — they were eager to bring him to Orlando.
The Lions’ staff says Aiás will help elevate the team, bringing a European pedigree and raw potential as Orlando City hunts for its
first MLS playoff berth.
“He’s hungry,” Muzzi told the Orlando Sentinel in August. “You want that from your No. 9. He’s a player with a lot of energy. He’s gonna press like we want to press. You’re gonna see he’s a guy that’s technical and not afraid to shoot. He’s gonna score some goals here.”
Aiás will look to fit into a young core of attackers who have delivered goals under Pareja’s direction.
The Lions currently lead
the Eastern Conference and rank second overall in MLS with 23 regular-season goals. The attack has been stoked by third-year winger Chris Mueller, who leads the Lions with seven goals.
Aiás will jockey for minutes with rookie Daryl Dike, who has tallied three goals and three assists. Although they have yet to meet in person, the two strikers have messaged each other throughout the last month, and the rookie said he’s excited to add another striker to the unit.
“I haven’t actually met him yet and it’s something I’m really looking forward to,” Dike said. “In terms of the competition level, we know what he’s done before; we know he’s a quality player. Any player that comes in and can improve the team and make everybody around him better is someone we welcome in.”