Veteran Diego Ribas has reached a final agreement with Major League Soccer club Orlando City on a three-year deal worth $2 million per season, sources tell ESPN Brazil.
The 33-year-old attacker from Brazil has six months remaining on his contract with Flamengo and both clubs are still negotiating whether his release will be in January or whether he will remain in Brazil until his contract runs out and then join Orlando, according to Jorge Nicola and Gustavo Zupak.
The former Brazil national team player began his career with Santos and played for Porto, Werder Bremen, Atletico Madrid, Wolfsburg and Fenerbahce before returning to his home country with Flamengo.
Reports out of Brazil say that Flamengo’s new manager, Abel Braga, is not interested in Diego’s services and the club had informed him that they would not extend his contract beyond the existing one.
Diego is seen as having the role that veteran forward Kaka filled for the MLS club, the reports say. Negotations in the United States turned in Diego’s favor after Orlando could not reach an agreement with Peruvian left-back Yoshimar Yotun, who ultimately signed a deal with Cruz Azul in Liga MX.