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This week the Houston Dynamo reached agreements on new contracts for the 2022 season with midfielder Matias Vera and goalkeeper Michael Nelson.
The Argentine midfielder was re-signed for two more years, extending his stay with the club to at least the 2023 season with a club option for 2024.
Mati has been a reliable player for the team since arriving from San Lorenzo in 2019 for a reported transfer fee of close to $1 million. He won the Dynamo’s Team MVP and Newcomer of the Year in his first season in Houston. Vera has even worn the captain armband during his time in Orange. In 2021, Vera played in 30 games and playing a total of 2,459 minutes. He was pushed up the field at times the past season and was able to score 3 goals.
“I am very grateful to the club, they have been fantastic throughout this process and it is clear that we have unfinished business,” Vera said. “I am excited about the possibilities; this is a new era for the club and the type of project you want to be a part of.”
New Houston Dynamo General Manager Pat Onstad will look to add complimentary pieces to fit around the talented man from Marlo, Argentina. Vera has become a silent leader for the squad and is expected to be a key component in this new era for the Orange.
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The kid from Katy, Michael Nelson, also reached a new contract agreement where he will be extending his stay with the club to at least the 2023 season with a club option for 2024.
Nelson finds himself again being the only goalkeeper on the roster, as he was in the 2019 offseason. He would love to continue being the number one keeper for the club, but surely Pat Onstad knows a thing or two about goalkeepers.
Michael earned his opportunity as the starting man in the net after poor performances by Marko Maric last season. Nelson started 11 games recording 2 clean sheets and a save percentage of 63 percent. Nothing out of this world, but he was able to clean up the easy mistakes that cost the team goals in other occasions. Nothing is given and the Katy kid will need to hold his own if he wants to be the club keeper of the future.
What are your thoughts on the re-signings? Let us know in the comments below.