The Central Coast Mariners have signed Colombian forward Ángel Torres on a two-season deal.
The 23-year-old arrives at the club having most recently played for Maltese team Balzan FC, scoring 14 goals and assisting six in 22 Maltese Premier League appearances.
A highly technical player with fantastic dribbling abilities and an eye for goal, the forward was transferred from Colombia to FC Porto’s academy for almost $2.5M AUD in 2018.
He immediately joined up with the Portuguese giant’s youth teams, scoring twice in the 2018/19 edition of the UEFA Youth League, helping the squad reach the final.
With Torres wearing the number seven, the team won the tournament and was crowned the best youth team in Europe after defeating Chelsea 3-1.
Off the back of this result there were extremely high expectations for Torres, with his performances demonstrating his clearly exceptional talent.
He played alongside numerous current Porto first team players in that youth squad, as well as Arsenal player Fabio Vieira.
After appearing in the Portuguese second division for FC Porto B, Torres was transferred to fellow Portuguese club Alverca, before finding his way to Balzan in Malta.
After one successful season with the club, which included helping them finish fourth and secure a place in the Europa Conference League qualifying rounds, Torres now heads to the Central Coast to continue his footballing journey.
The forward said he was thrilled to be linking up with the Mariners, having seen what the club does to help young players reach their potential.
“I am very happy to be joining the champions of Australia and am very excited to work with all of the staff and my new teammates ahead of the upcoming season,” Torres said.
“It is a really nice and interesting project for me to join.
“I feel I am going to fit in with very well where they promote young players.
“It is a club that helps these players reach the highest level so I think it will be a great place for me.”
Coach Nick Montgomery has been a long-time admirer of the forward.
“Ángel is a player we have known about for a while since his days in Portugal, winning the Under 19’s UEFA Champions League with Porto,” Montgomery said.
“He is a very talented player who scores and assists, is good one on one and works very hard for the team.
“We believe Angel has the ability to play at the very top level and, as for many, the Central Coast Mariners can be the springboard for him to get there.
“We are really excited for him to join the squad in preparation for the upcoming AFC Cup and A-League competitions.”
Source:
Central Coast Mariners