The Houston Dynamo have signed Venezuelan defender Alejandro Fuenmayor on a full transfer from Carabobo FC in the Venezuelan Primera Division, the club announced today. He will join the Dynamo pending receipt of his International Transfer Certificate (ITC) and P-1 Visa.

Fuenmayor, 21, helped the team qualify for the 2015 Copa Sudamericana, the first international participation for La Vinotinto Regional in eight years, and helped Carabobo advance to their first Copa Libertadores in 2017 and then again in for the 2018 edition.

“Alejandro is a young and talented defender who at just 21 years old has already played over 70 professional first team matches,” said Dynamo Vice President and General Manager Matt Jordan. “We are confident that he has the quality as a player and the mentality as a professional to grow and develop with our club. He is a welcomed addition to the Houston Dynamo and will strengthen our back line right away.”

A native of Maracaibo, Venezuela, Fuenmayor joined the youth academy at Carabobo FC when he was 16 years old. He made his professional debut with Carabobo FC on September 22, 2013 at 17 years of age when he started in a 2-0 win against Deportivo La Guira.

“We are excited for Alejandro. He is a young center back with experience in South America and he is eager to come to MLS and adapt quickly to the challenges this league presents,” said Dynamo Head Coach Wilmer Cabrera. “He is excited, and he knows the responsibility that comes with playing for the Houston Dynamo. We know he is ready for the challenge, and with our tools and our core group we can help him adapt very quickly.”

The young defender made 72 appearances and scored two goals across all competitions for Carabobo FC since he made his professional debut in 2013. In 2016 and 2017, Fuenmayor helped Carabobo FC to the top of Venezuela’s Primera Division. Fuenmayor was a key part of one of the best defenses in Venezuela during that time period, as La Vinotinto Regional allowed just 37 goals combined in the 2016 Apertura and Clausura, the second-fewest in the league; and Carabobo's defense was the stingiest in the 2017 Apertura and Clausura campaigns, conceding just 25. His performance last season earned him a place in the Venezuelan Primera Division Best XI.

With the addition of Fuenmayor, the Dynamo now have 22 players under contract for the 2018 season. Fuenmayor will be the eighth player to occupy an International slot on the Dynamo roster, along with MF Juan David Cabezas, FW Alberth Elis, DF Adolfo Machado, MF Tomás Martínez, FW Romell Quioto, DF Philippe Senderos and MF Charlie Ward.

HOUSTON DYNAMO PLAYERS CURRENTLY UNDER CONTRACT