January 4, 2024 – Major League Soccer (MLS) – Orlando City SC News Release
ORLANDO, Fla. – Orlando City SC and midfielder Nico Lodeiro have agreed to a new contract, signing the Uruguayan through the 2024 season with an option for 2025, it was announced today. Lodeiro joins the Lions via free agency, following one of the most successful tenures in MLS history with Seattle Sounders FC.
“We are thrilled to have Nico join us here in Orlando. He is a player we are very familiar with and feel fits perfectly within the style of soccer we want to play,” said Orlando City EVP of Soccer Operations and General Manager Luiz Muzzi. “He is a proven winner in this league, lifting the MLS Cup twice and winning the Concacaf Champions League, so he knows what it takes. We know he’ll provide valuable experience and leadership to our locker room as we look to build upon our Club’s successes this season. We are very happy to have been able to sign Nico and can’t wait to get him out on the field with us.”
Since joining MLS in 2016 from Argentine powerhouse Boca Juniors, Lodeiro has been one of the most impactful players in the league during his time with the Sounders. Over his eight seasons in Seattle, he made 231 appearances, scored 58 goals and recorded 95 assists across all competitions. He helped the Sounders add to their trophy case, lifting the MLS Cup in both 2016 and 2019, as well as a historic Concacaf Champions League title in 2022, with his side becoming the first MLS club to win the modern version of the tournament.
Lodeiro has totaled double-digit assists in six of his eight seasons with the Sounders, most recently tallying 11 helpers in 2023 to go along with seven goals. He became just the fifth player in MLS history to record six or more seasons with at least 10 assists. He is also the Sounders’ all-time leader in assists across all competitions, a record he broke in 2018.
In the 2022 season, Lodeiro started six matches during the Sounders’ historic title run in the Concacaf Champions League tournament. He finished second in the competition with five goals, including one that came in the ninth minute of stoppage time, which served as the latest goal in club history across all competitions. Later on that year, Lodeiro scored the second-fastest goal in club history just 24 seconds into a match against the San Jose Earthquakes.
Lodeiro’s MLS career began in 2016, playing a key role in the Sounders’ turnaround and leading the club to their first MLS Cup title….
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