Real Salt Lake signed Brazilian defensive midfielder Everton Luiz on loan for the 2019 season, the club announced Monday. RSL has the option to buy Luiz’s contract at the end of the season.
Luiz will join the team for the preseason, which begins later this month, pending receipt of his ITC and visa.
“I’ve reached my dream of playing in one of the biggest leagues on the planet and share the pitch with many of the best players,” Luiz said in a news release. "I wasn’t playing as much as I wanted and I’m looking forward to new challenges and saw in Real Salt Lake a huge opportunity to keep growing in my career.”
Luiz played last season for Società Polisportiva Ars et Labor in Italy’s Serie A. Prior to that, he spent time all over the world for teams such as Ponte Preta, Palmeiras and CRB in Brazil; San Luis in Mexico; and FC Lugano in Switzerland.
Throughout his career, Luiz has played 155 league matches and 246 total, scoring 10 goals in the process.
“Everton is the type of player that we feel can assist in helping us mature beyond being a competitive team and into one that challenges for bigger and better things,” RSL General Manager Craig Waibel said in the release. “He fits into the culture we are creating and is the type of player that our fans will enjoy watching as his on-field commitment is a standard they will surely appreciate. His playing resume speaks for itself and his addition will allow the coaching staff to explore more options in squad selection each week.”
With the addition of Luiz at the defensive midfielder position, he could contend for a starting position with RSL. After losing Sunday Stephen and declining the option of Luke Mulholland, that position appears thin at the moment.
Waibel said recently the team is in talks to bring Mulholland back for the 2019 season.
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