ORLANDO, Fla. – Dom Dwyer may be Orlando City SC’s new prize recruit, but don't expect the Lions to be parting ways with current club leading scorer Cyle Larin.
Club CEO Alex Leitao was quick to scotch any thoughts of the team parting with the Canadian international, who has 39 goals in 77 league appearances for Orlando, even though such a move would almost certainly recoup a huge chunk of their outlay to Sporting Kansas City for Dwyer.
“The way we structured the deal will not jeopardize the future of this club, that’s for sure” Leitao insisted. “We did it because we could. And we can continue to move in the right direction with all the players we have here.”
Asked if there is a need to recoup some of that money, Leitao responded, “Absolutely not.”
For Leitao, the Dwyer deal was more important as an MLS signpost on the way to greater world prominence, especially after the ecstatic welcome the fans provided for their new player on Tuesday night.
“I always believed this game would be massive in the biggest market in the world and yesterday I saw that I was right,” he added. “What happened in the airport last night gave me the assurance that everything we’ve been doing, it’s great, and we’re on the right path. There were big feelings for me last night. And I am pretty sure we will see other deals like this in the league in future.”
General manager Niki Budalic confirmed the club’s ambition to keep Larin in tandem alongside Dwyer, as well as young winger Carlos Rivas.
“This definitely gives us some flexibility,” he confirmed. “Taking some of the pressure off Cyle and being able to use the players in different roles, and play to their strengths, will be an advantage for us. I don’t think Dom will be the answer to all of our needs at the moment, but he will definitely help. And we’re not finished yet. We’re hoping to add another piece or two before the end of the window.”
Budalic admitted it had been a complicated process, involving a league record fee, which they did not take lightly.
“We took this very seriously,” he explained. “There is a lot more to this deal that will be clear in future, but we didn’t want to put our competitive position at risk moving forward. We definitely paid a hefty price to acquire Dom but we feel he’s worth it.
“It was just a complex negotiation to reach a position both sides would be happy with. From [Kansas City’s] perspective, I’m sure they’re content with the amount of league resources they were able to acquire, which they wouldn’t have got if they’d sold the player abroad. From our perspective, finding a player comparable to Dom’s quality would have cost a lot more outside of MLS. So both parties are definitely happy and that’s what you want in a trade.”
The move was also welcomed by the club's life president Phil Rawlins.
“Dom is a huge signing and a clear sign from [majority owner] Flavio [Augusto da Silva] that he means business in 2017,” he insisted. “It’s difficult to think of a more iconic player for Orlando to sign, a proven goalscorer and a firm fan favorite. Plus he has a love affair with the city, the team and fans that stretches back four years."
