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SANDY — The number may be retired at Rio Tinto Stadium, but Real Salt Lake has found a new No. 9 for the 2018 season.
The Sandy-based Major League Soccer club announced Wednesday the addition of Spanish striker Alfredo Ortuño.
The 26-year-old forward from Yecla, Spain joins the club after spending his professional career in his home country.
"I’m very happy to be signing with Real Salt Lake and very excited to live in America," Ortuño said in a club statement. "It’s a great opportunity for me to continue to grow as a player in a challenging environment."
Ortuño, who will join RSL during the 2018 preseason pending the receipt of an international transfer certificate and a visa, was purchased using targeted allocation money.
Most recently, Ortuño spent the 2016-17 season with Cadiz in La Liga 2, where he scored 17 goals in 42 appearances. The club was his third loan in three seasons while playing under La Liga side Las Palmas, based in the Canary Islands.
Ortuño signed a one-year contract with Real Valladolid on Sept. 3, 2017, but cut ties with the club a month later.
Since joining the professional ranks in 2008, the Albacete product has also played for Getafe, Levante, La Hoya Lorca, Granada, Gerona, Zaragoza and Mallorca, mostly in Spain’s La Liga 2. The 6-foot forward has scored 64 goals in his senior career.
"He has a proven track record of scoring goals at a high level in Spain," RSL general manager Craig Waibel said. "We believe he can come in, challenge the status quo and continue to push to make our team better."
"We like players that have a chip on their shoulder." pic.twitter.com/01trvTuqtA
— Real Salt Lake (@RealSaltLake) January 3, 2018
