Cincy’s banking on homegrown youth, signing midfielder Gerardo ‘Dado’ Valenzuela via the 2026 season – with choices for 2027 and 2028, because the group sits momentarily on the high of the Japanese Convention.
The 18-year-old is now the seventh participant from the Orange and Blue academy system to signal a first-team deal. He’ll even be the fifth that does so who’s at present on the roster.
“Dado is an thrilling younger participant who has labored extremely arduous for this chance,” Chris Albright, FC Cincinnati’s basic supervisor, mentioned in a launch. “He has an innate skill on the ball and continues to enhance his defensive understanding of the sport.
“His development from our academy via MLS NEXT Professional has been a testomony to all of the work that’s been performed in our participant pathway and we look ahead to his continued improvement with the primary group.”
Dado has scored twice and supplied an help for FC Cincinnati 2 in 22 video games for the MLS NEXT Professional membership and is likely one of the most extremely rated gamers within the squad with an total 7.29 FotMob score.
He joined the academy within the fall of 2020 and performed for the U-17 and U-19 squads.
“I am excited to signal my first skilled contract with FC Cincinnati,” mentioned Valenzuela. “It has been my dream to be knowledgeable ever since I used to be little, and it feels even higher to have achieved this with the assist of this nice group, my household, and my coaches.”
Cincy might be hoping that Dado joins and contributes to the senior squad alongside 19-year-old ahead Arquimides Ordoñez, who’s at present with the Guatemala squad on the U-20 FIFA World Cup in Argentina.
