PTFC Transfer Roundup: Thorns sign USYNT U-20 attacker, Timbers close to signing Ecuadorian midfielder

And all of a sudden, the offseason is heating up!

Thorns sign Pietra Tordin

With a new GM in town, the Thorns are wasting no time bringing in more players.

Portland announced today that they have signed forward Pietra Tordin from Princeton University through the 2026 season, with a player option for the 2027 season. Tordin will be leaving school early to go pro, and has been a key piece of the Women’s U-20 United States Youth National Team set up.

Tordin tallied four goals at the U-20 FIFA Women’s World Cup this past summer, which was the most scored by any American in the tournament since 2012. Her contributions helped the Americans to a bronze medal, also their best finish at the U-20 Women’s World Cup since 2012.

Tordin was also just named to the USWNT January Futures Camp, a training camp for up and coming national team prospects that is running concurrently with the senior Women’s National Team camp, where Pietra’s new teammates Morgan Weaver and Sam Coffey will be training. Tordin will be joined by fellow Thorn Reilyn Turner at the Futures Camp as well.

“We are thrilled to welcome Pietra to Portland, she is an exciting young talent who has excelled at both the youth national team level and collegiately with Princeton,” Thorns Head Coach Rob Gale said in a press release. “We are looking forward to helping her continue to grow and develop and thrive at the professional level.”

Tordin is the first player the Thorns have signed directly out of college. The NWSL draft has been abolished, and so this is how teams will be adding rookies and young talents to their roster moving forward.

And the Thorns couldn’t have found much better of a rising talent than Tordin. A speedy attacker who already has experience on the international level, and also a bright future with the senior national team, is about as good as you could ask for in a rookie. If she develops like she is projecting, the Thorns might have hit this one out of the park.

You can read the Thorns press release on the signing here.

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Timbers reportedly close to signing Joao Ortiz

With the start of preseason looming, the Portland Timbers slow offseason might finally be picking up pace.

Reports emerged on Wednesday that the Timbers are very close to signing midfielder Joao Ortiz from Ecuadorian club Independiente del Valle. The 28-year-old has nine caps with the Ecuadorian national team, and has played the majority of his career in his native country. Portland will reportedly be paying a $1.5 million transfer fee, and Ortiz is reported to be signing a contract through 2027.

Reports first started bubbling up out of Ecuador on Wednesday morning on twitter of Ortiz departing to Portland from Ecuador-based journalist Johanna Calderón, and then Argentina-based reporter Cesar Luis Merlo reported the deal’s length. MLS insider Tom Bogert gave his stamp of approval as well, sharing the terms of the deal and that Ortiz will be a TAM signing for Portland.

Ortiz projects as a defensive midfielder, however he can play as a central midfielder in a slightly more advanced role. As a seasoned veteran in the prime of his career, Ortiz is very likely being brought to town to compete for a starting spot right away.

Seen primarily as a ball-winner in midfield, Ortiz is most probable to line up in the midfield line of 2 in Phil Neville’s preferred 4-2-3-1 formation. He gives Neville and his staff another option to pair alongside Diego Chara or David Ayala, and reinforce a midfield and defensive unit that is badly in need of improvement.

The deal isn’t official yet, but from all the reports it sounds pretty much wrapped up. We can expect to see confirmation from the name soon, and welcome Ortiz as the newest Timber in the Rose City.