Orlando City showing range and versatility with its recruitment
Orlando City's offseason has seen a flurry of big signings to bolster the club for its quest for an MLS Cup championship. Throughout this window, general manager Luiz Muzzi and the Orlando front office has showed one of its greatest strengths: unique scouting networks.
The bulk of Orlando's transfer business and scouting under this regime has been done in South America. That's the way its been at Orlando City for the bulk of the club's history. We've seen players from Uruguay, Argentina and Brazil come to Orlando over the last few seasons.
The front office used those networks in this most recent window with a pair of big money signings. The club spent a year scouting and working to sign Martín Ojeda from Godoy Cruz as a Designated Player. Ojeda blossomed into one of the best players in Argentina and is one of the most intriguing new signings in the league.
The club also signed forward Ramiro Enrique from Banfield in Argentina. Enrique joins winger Gastón González as a U22 signing from the Argentine league.
Orlando has shown its roots throughout South America and those networks are a key facet to the way the club builds the first-team roster. But the team's scouting department and recruitment team have impressed with its versatility and willingness to find talent in unique markets.
The front office values the MLS SuperDraft. This season showed that by trading for two top 10 draft choices to select a pair of talented young attackers. In an era when less teams than ever value the draft as a means of talent acquisition, Muzzi and Orlando's staff still hunt for talent anywhere they can.
In addition to savvy domestic moves, the club has found players throughout different European markets. Orlando has signed a handful of players from various European leagues including center back Robin Jansson from Sweden, striker Ercan Kara from Austria and --- less successfully --- winger Silvester van der Water from Holland.
Orlando signed midfielder Dagur Dan Thórhallsson from the most unique European league yet: Iceland. The club's willingness and ability to hunt for players across the globe has allowed the team to become one of the most consistent clubs in MLS and build a deep roster capable of competing in multiple competitions.
Follow Christopher Adams on Twitter @Topher_Adams