Orlando City SC have signed Uruguayan defender Jose Aja on a six-month loan with the option to buy, the club announced Thursday. The deal is pending receipt of the player’s P-1 Visa and International Transfer Certificate.
“We are excited to have Jose join the team,” Lions assistant GM Manager Niki Budalic said. “He is a young, talented defender that we have been looking at for a while because we knew he could come in and make an impact on our team. We look forward to working with him and benefiting from his contributions.”
Aja, 23, joins Orlando City following a six-month stint with Uruguayan side Racing Club de Montevideo, where he was on loan from Club Nacional de Football, Uruguay's most successful club. He played in 12 of Racing's 15 Primera División Clausura season this year, scoring two goals and adding an assist.
A 6-foot-4 center back, Aja has been training with Orlando City since early this month.
