Tomas Pochettino Signs with MLS Expansion Side Austin FC as Designated Player

Tomas Pochettino is going deep in the heart of Texas…

The 25-year-old Argentine soccer player has signed on as a designated player for Major League Soccer (MLS) expansion side Austin FC has signed, the club has announced.

Tomas Pochettino

Pochettino joins forward Cecilio Dominguez as the team’s DP signings. Dominguez, a Paraguay international, moved to the club in August of 2020. 

“Tomas is a player we’ve monitored for almost a year now, and we’re excited to have landed him,” Austin FC head coach Josh Wolff said in a team statement.

Wolff added that Pochettino has “very good qualities to the way that we want to play, he’s an attack-minded midfielder, has very good dynamics in and around the penalty box to combine and to shoot from distance.”

Pochettino came up through the Boca Juniors academy before making his debut for the Buenos Aires giants in 2015. He spent the past three seasons as a standout for Argentine top-division side Talleres.

“He’s very intelligent, in finding spaces in the final third, and in passing. His runs off the ball are very smart. He’s a team player, he’s very responsible as well on the defensive side, and with him being positioned in the middle of the field, that’s important,” Austin FC sporting director Claudio Reyna said.

Austin FC Signs Cecilio Dominguez as the Team’s Designated Player

Cecilio Dominguez is headed to Central Texas…

The 26-year-old Paraguayan professional footballer has signed with Austin FC as the MLS expansion side’s first Designated Player.

Cecilio Dominguez

Dominguez moves to Austin from Argentine giants Independiente, where he spent last season after moving over from Club America.

Dominguez will remain on loan for the remainder of the 2020 season before joining his new team in January of 2021.

“Cecilio is the type of player we wanted for our first Designated Player signing. He’s a young but experienced, attacking international who joins us from one of the biggest clubs in South America,” said Austin FC head coach Josh Wolff. “His dynamic forward play will translate well to MLS.

“He is an attacking player well known to Liga MX fans, with a broad skillset, good movement off the ball and the ability to come inside and create scoring opportunities by himself. He can score with both feet and his head, and he is a true team player. His club experience in Mexico, Paraguay, and Argentina, alongside his national team history with Paraguay, adds a significant threat to our forward line. He’s a player fans will be pleased to see when we start play in 2021.”

Dominguez, who is the club’s second signing, scored eight goals and provided six assists in 42 games for Independiente, and scored 21 goals in 74 matches for America prior to that.

Austin FC sporting director Claudio Reyna said he had no shortage of suitors for his services.

“He chose Austin FC as opposed to staying in Argentina with the likes of Boca Juniors showing serious interest,” said Reyna.

“Both ways it shows the belief we have in him and likewise him in our staff and the way we’re absolutely going to get him back to his highest level. He just turned 26 and has so much to look forward to. It’s the challenge we talk about with every player … there’s no doubt that he’s going to find his form and be a really impactful player for us.”

Dominguez, who has also had stints at Paraguayan clubs Nacional and Cerro Porteno, has appeared 17 times for his country but has yet to score.