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Jeff Carlisle
FC Cincinnati is finalizing a deal to acquire attacking midfielder Evander from the Portland Timbers in exchange for $12 million in cash plus add-ons a source confirmed to ESPN.
The transaction, if completed, comes hours after The Queen City Press reported that Cincinnati sent attacking midfielder Luciano Acosta to Dallas for $5 million plus add-ons.
Acosta had expressed dissatisfaction with Cincinnati’s front office during the offseason, necessitating a trade. Acosta finishes his stint in Cincinnati with 51 goals and 66 assists in 134 league and playoff appearances.
In acquiring Evander, FCC now has a ready-made replacement to feed newly acquired striker Kévin Denkey. The moves, both incoming and outgoing for FCC, were made possible by a new roster regulation that allows players to be acquired for cash instead of allocation money.
GIVEMESPORT was the first to report that the Evander deal is nearing completion.
The Acosta deal cleared the way for Evander’s move, and much like Acosta’s exit from Cincinnati, the pending deal allows a graceful way out of a difficult situation for Portland.
Evander recorded 15 goals and 19 assists in 28 regular season appearances last season for the Timbers, and garnered some MVP consideration.
But he also burned bridges in the Rose City when following the humiliating 5-0 playoff exit at the hands of Cascadia rivals the Vancouver Whitecaps, he criticized the Timbers’ front office, posting on social media after the match that, “Portland fans do not deserve the people who have power over this club.”
Evander finishes his time in Portland with 24 goals and 24 assists in 55 regular season matches.
Portland already has a potential replacement lined up, with Lens midfielder David Da Costa reportedly poised to make a $6 million move.
Da Costa, 24, came up through Lens’ youth system, making his debut in 2020. He has since made 123 appearances, scoring 10 goals. He has represented Portugal at youth international level.