Orlando City SC head coach Jason Kreis made it clear early in the 2017 preseason that forward Bryan Róchez no longer had a place in the club, according to a report by the Orlando Sentinel’s Alicia DelGallo. Now, it seems the Lions are prepared to move on from the former City designated player.
Róchez was waived by the Lions on Friday, according to a club press release. Shortly after, the 22-year-old was acquired by expansion side Atlanta United FC. Newly acquired forward Giles Barnes will take the then-vacant designated-player slot.
The Lions assigned Róchez to Orlando City B in early March to get him fit again, per DelGallo.
“He’s been with OCB this week,” Kreis said on March 10. “He’s a player we’re still looking for a better opportunity, but, right now, he’s not fit. And so we need to build the player back up, get him fit, get him healthy, get him ready to look somewhere else.”
Prior to joining Orlando City in its inaugural Major League Soccer season in 2015, he scored 20 goals for Real C.D. España in the Honduras Primera División. In 2015 for City, he scored three goals in 16 non-starting matches. Róchez spent most of the 2016 season on loan with OCB before being loaned to Real España.
Barnes was officially traded to Orlando City shortly after the Lions’ 3-1 friendly win over Saint Louis FC on Feb. 25. He assisted on Cyle Larin‘s game-winning goal in a 1-0 win over New York City FC on March 5 and has already become an integral part of the Lions’ 2017 squad.
City hosts the Philadelphia Union on Saturday at 7:30 p.m.
