Cincy’s banking on homegrown youth, signing midfielder Gerardo ‘Dado’ Valenzuela by the 2026 season – with choices for 2027 and 2028, because the staff sits momentarily on the prime 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 presently on the roster.
“Dado is an thrilling younger participant who has labored extremely exhausting 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 by MLS NEXT Professional has been a testomony to all of the work that’s been finished in our participant pathway and we look ahead to his continued growth with the primary staff.”
Dado has scored twice and offered an help for FC Cincinnati 2 in 22 video games for the MLS NEXT Professional membership and is among the most extremely rated gamers within the squad with an total 7.29 FotMob ranking.
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 an expert ever since I used to be little, and it feels even higher to have achieved this with the assist of this nice staff, my household, and my coaches.”
Cincy will probably be hoping that Dado joins and contributes to the senior squad alongside 19-year-old ahead Arquimides Ordoñez, who’s presently with the Guatemala squad on the U-20 FIFA World Cup in Argentina.
