In the summer of 2015, Gavin Wilkinson sat in a hotel lobby in Buenos Aires, sipping coffee as he listened to Lucas Melano talk energetically about the prospect of joining the Portland Timbers.

It was the first time that the Timbers general manager had met the young Argentine striker face-to-face, though he had seen Melano play in person and on film dozens of times over the last two years.

Melano's raw athleticism and pace had first captured Portland's attention back in 2012 and the club had tried to ink him to a contract in 2013. The transfer fee at the time had been too high for the Timbers and a deal had never materialized.

Still, Portland continued to follow Melano as he moved from Argentine club Belgrano to Lanus, believing that the up-and-coming forward might have the potential to develop into one of the most dangerous attacking players in MLS, if he could be lured to the league.

Now, the Timbers were on the cusp of making a lofty investment by shelling out a $5 million transfer fee to finally ink Melano to a designated player contract.

Wilkinson had arrived at the meeting in Buenos Aires ready to pitch the Timbers organization to Melano one last time, but he quickly realized that wouldn't be necessary.

"He was very knowledgeable about the team," Wilkinson said. "He knew about the coaching staff. He knew about the environment. He knew about the Timbers Army. He knew about the surface we played on. A player has to want to be here and he definitely wanted to be here."

* * *

Fernando Melano introduced his son to soccer at a young age, wanting Lucas to experience the joys of the sport beloved throughout Argentina.

At five, Melano was spending his afternoons playing soccer with seven and eight years old in the streets outside his home in Hernando, a small town in the Cordoba province of Argentina. He soon joined a local club and spent Saturdays playing at a nearby field. On Sundays, his family would take him to a neighboring city to play with a more competitive team.

At 15, Melano finally got his first break. One of his teammates had a brother that played for Belgrano and his dad helped him secure a tryout with the club.

"I tried out for them and they liked me," said Melano, through an interpreter. "So, I got in."

Melano quickly rose through the ranks at Belgrano and his speed and ability to create goal scoring chances drew attention from clubs throughout Argentina.

River Plate and Lanus soon started pursuing the young forward. Melano was on the cusp of signing with River Plate in 2013, but the deal fell through and the next day he found himself heading to Buenos Aires to join Lanus, the former club of Timbers midfielder Diego Valeri.

"It was the right moment," said Melano, through an interpreter. "It was what that team needed and it was what was good for me."

Melano continued to turn heads at Lanus, scoring three goals in nine games to help the team win the 2013 Copa Sudamericana. By the time the Timbers went after Melano in the summer of 2015, he was being pursued by clubs in Mexico and Europe, including Spanish La Liga side Villarreal.

But in Portland, Melano believed he would have the opportunity to earn a consistent starting spot and become an important piece in the attack. He knew it was the right move for his development.

"They were really specific as to what they were looking for from me," said Melano, through an interpreter. "In a matter of just 20 days, I made the decision to come to Portland."

* * *

On July 17, Melano arrived in the Rose City for the first time, eager to explore his new home and meet his new team.

But he was soon reminded that transitioning to a new country would take time. When Melano tried to order food at a restaurant in downtown Portland that night, he realized that he couldn't explain what he wanted in his limited English.

"We ended up getting some very spicy chicken," said Melano, through an interpreter. "We couldn't find a way to say we don't want spicy food."

At the time, though, Melano was one of five Argentine players on Portland's roster and the club had a handful of other Spanish-speaking players ready to aid Melano in his transition.

Valeri drove Melano to training during those first weeks and Diego Chara helped him buy groceries. When Melano got settled in to an apartment in the Pearl District, the other Argentines came over to help him assemble furniture and decorate his new home.

He quickly bonded with his fellow Argentines, joining the group after trainings for mate, a traditional Argentine tea, and accompanying them to post-game dinners at their favorite Italian restaurant in the Pearl. The group helped Melano feel at home in Portland in those early weeks, even though his family and girlfriend were still in Argentina.

"We tried to help him adapt to the city," Valeri said. "We wanted to make him feel like it was Argentina, to create a little small community like Argentina."

Melano was also simultaneously adjusting on the field.

Just eight days after arriving in the United States, he came on as a substitute at Dallas and immediately showed a knack for getting behind opposing defenses and creating chances. He scored his first goal on August 21 to help Portland secure a 2-2 draw with Houston.

"You don't realize how fast he is until you get out on the pitch and get him 1v1," Timbers defender Nat Borchers said. "I think he gives us a different look and makes it tough for other teams to defend us."

Still, it did take Melano time to feel comfortable with his new team. He continued to put himself in good spots late in 2015, but struggled to finish his chances, prompting Timbers coach Caleb Porter to remove him from the lineup for a few games down the stretch.

"He was exciting, but you also saw that he needed to settle in," Porter said. "He needed time to understand his teammates, understand his role, understand the tactics, understand the league."

Things finally began to click for Melano during the 2015 MLS Cup Playoffs.

He sealed the Western Conference championship for Portland with an incredible stoppage time goal at Dallas where he sent a defender and the keeper to the ground with subtle fakes before poking it over the line. He then sent the game-winning assist to Rodney Wallace against the Crew in the MLS Cup final to help Portland secure its first MLS Cup title.

"I learned a lot last year," said Melano, through interpreter. "It was a really good experience just having those games to adjust to the league. Now, it's a new season and I want to help this team win the title again."

* * *

When Melano arrived at preseason training camp this past January, Porter immediately noticed a marked change.

Even though fellow Argentines Maximiliano Urruti and Norberto Paparatto had departed in the offseason, Melano looked relaxed and confident playing alongside his other teammates. And when Porter gave instructions in English, the 23-year-old now nodded with understanding and often responded in English if he had a question.

"He is just a lot more comfortable, more confident and more clear-headed," Porter said. "He's a really intelligent kid and because of that he's going to continue to get better and better as time goes on."

At times in preseason, Melano has simply overwhelmed opposing defenses with his speed and ability to connect with his teammates around goal, demonstrating the talent that prompted Portland to make such a large investment in the young Argentine.

As the Timbers embark on their 2016 MLS regular season campaign, it's clear that Melano will be a key piece of their attack on the left wing, and they will need him to prove that he can produce on a consistent basis.

This could be Lucas Melano's time to shine, and the Timbers believe that he is ready for the challenge.

"He grew up a lot last year," Valeri said. "He adapted really well at the end of the season. He played a couple of very good games and helped us win the trophy. This is a new year, so we'll see what he does now."

-- Jamie Goldberg | jgoldberg@oregonian.com

503-853-3761 | @jamiebgoldberg