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SportsPortland Timbers to sign Dutch forward Vincent Janssen as free agent
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The Portland Timbers are set to sign Dutch forward Vincent Janssen as a free agent, according to sources. The 32-year-old former Tottenham Hotspur and AZ Alkmaar striker, who most recently played for Royal Antwerp in Belgium, will not occupy a designated player slot. His arrival coincides with the departure of Felipe Mora to Liga MX's Atlético San Luis. Janssen has prior North American experience with Monterrey, scoring 24 goals and winning the 2021 Concacaf Champions League. He earned 22 caps for the Netherlands and was on the 2022 World Cup squad. Portland, under new head coach Martí Cifuentes, sits 10th in the Western Conference, two points below the playoff line with 17 matches remaining.
Source report
Tom Goyvaerts / Belga / AFP / Getty Images
By Tom Bogert
The Portland Timbers are set to sign Dutch forward Vincent Janssen, sources briefed on the situation tell The Athletic.
Janssen is a free agent after leaving Royal Antwerp this summer. He will not occupy a designated player slot for the Timbers, sources add. The deal coincides with the departure of Felipe Mora to Atlético San Luis of Liga MX.
Player Profile
- Age: 32
- Position: Forward
- National Team: 22 caps for the Netherlands, seven goals; member of the 2022 World Cup squad
Previous Experience
Janssen has prior experience in North America, signing for Mexican powerhouse Monterrey from Tottenham in 2019. He scored 24 goals for the club in three seasons and was part of the team’s Concacaf Champions League title in 2021.
More recently, Janssen remained productive in Belgium. He recorded:
- 13 goals and 7 assists in 40 appearances (3,579 minutes) last season across all competitions
- Served as captain for Antwerp
Career Highlights
Janssen was the subject of several big-money transfers in his career, the largest coming when he joined Tottenham for around $25 million in 2016 from AZ Alkmaar. He had just won the Dutch league Golden Boot with 27 goals in 2015–16.
Impact on Portland
Portland is entering a new era under head coach Martí Cifuentes, who took the job earlier this month. Janssen is the first key signing of the summer transfer window, and the team is likely to remain active.
Janssen will compete with Venezuelan international Kevin Kelsy for minutes, and the two may be able to play together at times. Kelsy, 21, has eight goals this season, including six in his last six matches.
Current Standings
Portland sits 10th in the Western Conference but just two points below the playoff line with 17 matches left. In two games since the league returned from a World Cup break, Portland has won both, including:
- A 5–1 thrashing of rival Seattle Sounders
- A 2–1 win over Real Salt Lake, spearheaded by a double from Mora, who capped his six-year run in Portland in storybook fashion
What You Should Read Next: MLS says it’ll ‘take it from here’ after the World Cup. So where is the league going? — MLS has made a bold proclamation amid its quest to crack the global elite. Will its actions match the stated ambition?
Source
Soccer - The AthleticWestern
Part of this Story
Portland Timbers to sign Dutch, ex-Tottenham forward Vincent Janssen: Sources