Cincy’s banking on homegrown youth, signing midfielder Gerardo ‘Dado’ Valenzuela by way of the 2026 season – with choices for 2027 and 2028, because the crew sits momentarily on the prime of the Japanese Convention.
The 18-year-old is now the seventh participant from the Orange and Blue academy system to signal a first-team deal. He’ll even be the fifth that does so who’s at present on the roster.
“Dado is an thrilling younger participant who has labored extremely laborious for this chance,” Chris Albright, FC Cincinnati’s basic supervisor, stated in a launch. “He has an innate potential on the ball and continues to enhance his defensive understanding of the sport.
“His development from our academy by way of MLS NEXT Professional has been a testomony to all of the work that’s been accomplished in our participant pathway and we stay up for his continued growth with the primary crew.”
Dado has scored twice and supplied an help for FC Cincinnati 2 in 22 video games for the MLS NEXT Professional membership and is without doubt one of the most extremely rated gamers within the squad with an total 7.29 FotMob score.
He joined the academy within the fall of 2020 and performed for the U-17 and U-19 squads.
“I am excited to signal my first skilled contract with FC Cincinnati,” stated Valenzuela. “It has been my dream to be an expert ever since I used to be little, and it feels even higher to have achieved this with the assist of this nice crew, my household, and my coaches.”
Cincy shall be hoping that Dado joins and contributes to the senior squad alongside 19-year-old ahead Arquimides Ordoñez, who’s at present with the Guatemala squad on the U-20 FIFA World Cup in Argentina.
