TRANSFER TRACKER STATUS: Signing
Roughly a month ago, Inter Miami CF saw a major need arise when defensive midfielder Gregore suffered a foot injury that could keep him out through mid-September.
But the Herons have found a potential solution, announcing Thursday they’ve signed defensive midfielder Dixon Arroyo through the remainder of the 2023 MLS season with an option for 2024. Arroyo arrives on a free transfer after previously captaining Ecuadorian top-flight side Emelec.
“We’re happy to be able to reinforce our squad with an experienced, combative defensive midfielder like Dixon,” Chris Henderson, Miami’s chief soccer officer and sporting director, said in a release. “He’s a leader and an imposing figure in the middle of the field that we feel will help fill a need for us, especially as Gregore continues his recovery.”
Arroyo, 30, could slot into Miami’s starting lineup alongside Jean Mota. Miami’s midfield foundation, up through Gregore’s injury, had the Brazilians providing a foundation from deep-lying positions.
Since Gregore (Miami's captain) got hurt, Miami have lost five straight games after a strong start to the year. Their offense, mainly built around strikers Leo Campana and Josef Martínez, has been held scoreless in four of those matches. Campana only just returned from a calf injury.
On paper, Arroyo could help solve a fair amount. He’s spent the entirety of his career in his native Ecuador to this point, featuring for four different teams (SD Quito, LDU Loja, Independiente del Valle and Emelec) while accumulating 17 goals and 15 assists across 384 matches in all competitions.
Arroyo has played twice for Ecuador’s national team, most recently in a June 2022 friendly vs. Nigeria. He made his senior international debut for La Tri in a March 2021 friendly against Bolivia, starting and playing 90 minutes in a 2-1 win.
“I'm very thankful and honored to join Inter Miami, an ambitious club in a highly competitive league with a very passionate fan base,” Arroyo said. “I'm eager to work tirelessly and leave it all on and off the pitch to achieve the objectives set.”
As Arroyo arrives, Miami are 12th in the Eastern Conference table with a 2W-5L-0D record. They were the Eastern Conference’s No. 6 seed in the Audi 2022 MLS Cup Playoffs.
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