Paraguayan right back Jorge Moreira has joined the Portland Timbers in Tucson, Arizona for preseason training camp, a source confirmed to the Oregonian/OregonLive Tuesday.

The Timbers are expected to officially announce the acquisition of Moreira later this week. Moreira was first linked to Portland last week.

Moreira, 29, joined Argentine club River Plate in July 2016. He made 47 appearances across all competitions during his time with the club, but only saw limited minutes after undergoing knee surgery in October 2017. The injury kept him out for 10 months. Moreira made just nine appearances for River Plate since returning to the field last August.

At the international level, Moreira has earned 17 caps for Paraguay since making his national team debut in 2010.

The Timbers are expected to use Targeted Allocation Money to add Moreira to their roster. Targeted Allocation Money can be used to buy down the salary cap hit on players making more than the maximum budget charge, who are not classified as Designated Players.

The Timbers have been pursuing a right back ever since trading Alvas Powell to FC Cincinnati early in the offseason. Timbers General Manager and President of Soccer Gavin Wilkinson said previously that the club wanted to acquire a starting-caliber right back that offered a different look to current starting right back Zarek Valentin.

-- Jamie Goldberg | jgoldberg@oregonian.com

503-853-3761 | @jamiebgoldberg

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