SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Sacramento Republic FC announced on Friday it had acquired midfielder Villyan Bijev on loan from Portland Timbers 2 for the remainder of the 2017 USL season.

Bijev joins Republic FC after playing the last two seasons with T2. The 24-year-old recorded 15 goals and 10 assists in 52 matches with T2, and led the USL in assists in 2016 as he was named to the 2016 USL All-League First Team. Bijev has led T2 in goals in each of the last two seasons, after joining the club from Bulgarian side Cherno More.

A native of Sofia, Bulgaria, Bijev moved to Fresno as a child, playing for Cal Odyssey in the U.S. Development Academy. The midfielder has appeared internationally for both the U.S. U18 and U20 National Teams, as well as with the Bulgaria U21 National Team.