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The Portland Timbers turned to Plan B after CF Monterrey striker Germán Berterame declined the MLS side’s interest.
The Athletic’s Tom Bogert reported on Saturday, citing sources, that the Timbers are nearing a deal to sign Uruguayan forward Jonathan “Cabecita” Rodriguez from Club América.
In the report, Bogert notes that Portland was simultaneously negotiating a potential deal for Berterame that included submitting a $15 million bid.
Monterrey’s president, Tato Noriega, told the media ahead of the weekend that Berterame “told us that he does not want to take Portland’s offer and wants to stay with us.”
Rodriguez, who’s 30 years old, has scored nine goals and provided three assists in 1,088 minutes across all competitions for América this season. He’s been a standout player in Liga MX for almost ten years, having previously played for Santos Laguna, Cruz Azul, and now América.
As for Monterrey, they hold onto Berterame as a key player to their depth at the striker position, allowing them to rotate between the Argentine and Brandon Vazquez as they compete in two competitions.