TRANSFER TRACKER STATUS: Signing
The San Jose Earthquakes have signed Peruvian international left back Miguel Trauco through the 2023 MLS season with an option for 2024, the club announced Friday.
Trauco, 30, was a free agent after last playing with AS Saint-Étienne in France’s Ligue 1 alongside now-LAFC forward Denis Bouanga.
He joins narrowly ahead of the MLS Roster Freeze Date arriving Sept. 2, the last day MLS teams can add players during the 2022 campaign.
“Miguel possesses very high-level experience for both club and country,” Earthquakes general manager Chris Leitch said in a release. “He’s played in the top leagues of Peru, Brazil, and France, represented his country at the last World Cup, and plays a position of need following the transfer of Marcos Lopez to Feyenoord. We’re excited to welcome him to our club and introduce him to our fans.”
As Leitch noted, Trauco should give San Jose a long-term left back after moving Lopez onto the Dutch Eredivisie side for an undisclosed club-record fee. He’s also their third defender signed this summer, joining Equatorial Guinea international right back Carlos Akapo as a free agent and Brazilian center back Rodrigues on loan from Gremio.
Trauco played for Brazilian club Flamengo before joining Saint-Étienne in 2019, tallying two goals and four assists in 72 total appearances across three seasons. Internationally, Tracuo has been capped 68 times by Peru and played at the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
Next year, Trauco will play under new head coach Luchi Gonzalez, who takes over the squad following his duties with the United States at the 2022 World Cup. In the meantime, the Quakes are led by interim head coach Alex Covelo.
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