Written by Juan Pereira

Photo by Agencia EFE

Recently, Houston Dynamo FC announced the signing of Jefferson Valverde, a defensive midfielder from LDU Quito. Houston paid an undisclosed fee for the former Ecuadorian league champion.

Valverde has played in Copa Libertadores and other CONMEBOL competitions, giving the Dynamo some top-tier club experience. The 24-year-old played for the Barcelona SC reserve teams before moving to Toreros FC in 2020. After moving around several clubs, Valverde went to LDU Quito, where he won the league and the CONMEBOL Copa Sudamericana.

“Jefferson is a dynamic defensive midfielder with experience on one of the best teams in South America last season,” Pat Onstad said. “We look forward to welcoming Jefferson into our club as we approach a congested schedule with multiple competitions throughout the summer.”

Valverde’s contract for the Dynamo spans through 2025 with club options in 2026 and 2027. This signing further strengthens the Dynamo midfield while giving Artur his first true backup, which will be important when it comes to managing the long season. The Dynamo currently sit seventh in the Western Conference.

Valverde will occupy an international slot once he receives his International Transfer Certificate (ITC) and P-1 Visa. He just started training with the first team so we should see him on the field soon.

Valverde possesses a nice passing range; he is not afraid to play a long ball in order to find an open attacker. The midfielder also has some good acceleration which could be useful when it comes to transitions from defense to attack.

Of course, Artur has been a stalwart piece of this new-look Dynamo squad, but having some decent depth behind him to offer competition is a win for everyone involved.