Dynamo exercise option to purchase Adalberto Carrasquilla

Coco is staying. Today the Houston Dynamo announced that the club has exercised the option to purchase Panamanian international midfielder Adalberto Carrasquilla from FC Cartagena in Spain’s LaLiga2. Carrasquilla joined the Dynamo on loan from Cartagena in 2021. Coco will now remain with the Dynamo through the remainder of this season and his guaranteed contract now runs through the 2024 season with one option year.

The 23-year-old midfielder has appeared in all 10 games for Houston this season and was a key contributor in Panama finishing in 5th place in the final stage of CONCACAF World Cup Qualifying. The club did not release the financial details of the purchase, but Telemundo’s Luis Ortiz reported that the fee is close to $2 million.

Ted Segal vowed to spend money to improve the team and he is doing just that. After bringing in Sebastian Ferreira and getting Hector Herrera signed, the next biggest to-do for the Dynamo was making Carrasquilla’s deal permanent. If the fee of $2 million dollars is correct, that is a steal for a 23-year-old player of Coco’s caliber.

The fact that Carrasquilla wants to be in Houston and believes in what the club is doing is also huge. “Coco is one of the most exciting young talents in MLS who believes in the direction this club is heading, so securing his future with the Dynamo was one of our top priorities this summer,” Dynamo general manager Pat Onstad said. “We appreciate the support of Ted Segal and our entire ownership group to continue investing in our roster. Coco has a bright future ahead of him and we appreciate that he and his family are excited about remaining in Houston.”

Head coach Paulo Nagamura also spoke with the media today, ahead of tomorrow’s Lamar Hunt US Open Cup match and was asked about exercising the option to purchase Carrasquilla. “I’m very excited about the play that Coco has shown,” Nagamura said. “In his first few games, he’s a very, very important part of this organization. We’re very pleased that we were able to exercise the option and make the deal permanent for us.”

With Carrasquilla now permanently signed, the club can move into the summer transfer window with a clearer vision of where to improve the club. Coco and Hector Herrera should have the central midfield locked down, which will give the team the freedom to look at other positions to improve, like attacking positions.