Who is Carlos Andrés Gómez, and what does he bring to Real Salt Lake?
Who is Carlos Andrés Gómez, and what does he bring to Real Salt Lake?
The multi-million dollar youngster from Millonarios FC in Bogota, Colombia joins Real Salt Lake following a club-record $3.1 million transfer fee.
After waiting for la firma to dry over international correspondence, Real Salt Lake has one of its key “difference makers” for the 2023 Major League Soccer season.
Colombian winger Carlos Andrés Gómez will report to Sandy as the newest member of the squad after the 20-year-old goal scorer and Millonarios FC in Bogota agreed to a $3.1 million transfer fee with RSL, according to Sam Stejskal from The Athletic.
The rising star, who was under contract through 2027-28 with Millonarios, will signed under Major League Soccer’s new U-22 initiative, which allows clubs to sign up to three players under the age of 22 to lucrative contracts at a reduced budget charge against the team’s salary cap. Gómez qualifies under the rules of the initiative upon signing his first contract in MLS, and could theoretically occupy that space up to age 25.
MLS Soccer’s Tom Bogert first reported news of the impending transfer.
Who is Carlos Andrés Gómez?
A native of Quibdó in Western Colombia, Gómez debuted with first team at Millonarios in November 2021 before signing an extension a year later that kept him under contract with the club through 2025.
The winger who has played extensively on the right scored 13 goals in 59 appearances — close to 4,000 minutes in total — for Millonarios en route to the 2022 Copa Colombia title and a berth in Copa Libertadores.
That’s the same club from which LAFC signed Chicho Arango prior to the 2021 season, and the 30-goal, 7-assist man has proven himself well for the Angelenos (Inter Miami also went to Millonarios to snatch midfielder Emerson Rodriguez last year, another international player under the U-22 initiative).
How does Gómez fit with Real Salt Lake?
The winger adds to a young core at RSL that includes Braian Ojeda, the Paraguayan midfielder on loan from Nottingham Forest, and U.S. U-20 rising star Diego Luna.
Gómez also joins a deep winger pool in RSL training camp that includes Venezuelan international Jefferson Savarino, MLS journeyman and Salt Lake stalwart Justin Meram, Cuban ex-pat Maikel Chang and MLS SuperDraft pick Amferny Sinclair, who recently helped Syracuse to an NCAA national championship.
The attacking talent will supplement a striker group led by Rubio Rubin and Anderson Julio, sparked by the continued recovery of former LAFC striker Danny Musovski, and first-round draft pick Ilijah Paul, among others. Of course, there’s also Damir Kreilach, the team captain who is working his way back from back surgery last year and can play higher up the field — though he is still listed as an attacking midfielder in the vein of Luna.
“This is an exciting day for our club as we bolster a strong returning core with a dynamic attacking addition in Carlos Andres Gómez,” RSL general manager Elliot Fall said in a statement from the club. “Andres is a player that quickly rose to the top of our target list over the last several months and we are very pleased to be able to finalize his acquisition. His athleticism and creativity will be a welcome addition to our stable of attacking players.
“We look forward to getting him to the Wasatch Front shortly and integrating him to our group as we pursue hardware across multiple fronts in 2023.”
How soon will Gómez arrive in Salt Lake?
Gómez’s transfer is pending the receipt of both a U.S. work visa and the required international transfer certificate (ITC) from authorities.
Still, the club hopes to have him join during the 2023 preseason and be available in time for the season opener Feb. 25 at Vancouver or home opener March 11 against Austin FC.
After opening the preseason Monday in Herriman, RSL will travel to the Los Angeles area from Jan. 13-22, followed by a week home before finishing its final leg of the preseason Feb. 7-18 in Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona.