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SALT LAKE CITY — It is no secret that Real Salt Lake has struggled to score goals this season as fans lament the lack of a consistent goalscorer.
Enter Cristian "Chicho" Arango. The 28-year-old Colombian striker is set to arrive at RSL during the summer transfer window that opens on July 5, as initially reported by MLS insider Tom Bogert and confirmed by team sources.
Head coach Pablo Mastroeni said "goalscorers are expensive" following a 0-0 draw earlier this season, and the claim stands true with Bogert and others reporting a club-record transfer fee of around $6 million for Arango's talents.
The fee would be the second time RSL broke its transfer record this year after acquiring Andres Gomez for between $3-4 million in January. Arango would also be the third Colombian acquired by RSL this year after Gomez and defender Brayan Vera.
So what is RSL getting for its $6 million? Goals.
Arango scored 32 goals in 54 MLS appearances for LAFC between 2021 and 2022, including a pair in the playoffs en route to the MLS Cup in 2022. He scored twice in Utah last season in a 4-1 LAFC win.
Opoku finds Arango right in front of goal and the #LAFC No. 9 has a brace in Salt Lake. #RSL down 3-1 pic.twitter.com/SV1uSjZndB
— Caleb Turner (@calebturner23) August 7, 2022
Arango was named MLS Newcomer of the Year in 2021 after scoring 14 goals in just 17 appearances following his midseason transfer to LA. He departed for Mexican club C.F. Pachuca in January when no deal was reached to continue at LAFC. He scored five goals in 13 appearances for Pachuca and is now set to return to MLS.
"The deal is agreed upon between all parties and Chicho Arango will travel to the United States with his agents to finalize the move to Real Salt Lake," Bogert said in a tweet.
The news was slightly overshadowed by the announcement on Wednesday that Argentine superstar Lionel Messi will move to MLS and join David Beckham-owned Inter Miami as just his third club in a legendary career.
RSL is not scheduled to play Miami this season, but both clubs are currently competing in the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open Cup which reaches its final on Sept. 27.
