Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
Orlando City SC acquired American winger Nicholas Gioacchini from France’s Stade Malherbe Caen on Wednesday.
The 21-year-old joins the MLS club on a 2 1/2-year contract that includes a club option for 2025. Terms were not disclosed.
“Niko is an exciting young player that has a great ability to break lines and has a keen eye for goal,” Orlando City general manager Luiz Muzzi said in a news release. “He’s begun to work his way into the national team pool already and we look forward to him furthering his young career with us here in Orlando.”
Gioacchini has earned eight caps with the U.S. men’s national teams, registering three goals and two assists. He helped the Americans win the 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup with one goal and one assist in five matches.
“[Orlando is] a place where I felt at home. A Club with a history of being very family-like and the fans. … The fans, the stadium, it’s a place where there’s a lot of energy and that’s for sure a part of the reason I decided to come,” Gioacchini said. “[Playing in MLS is] one of the parts I’m most excited about. Coming home, that feeling of coming back to my home country and getting the experience to play against the rising MLS and being a part of it. That’s a great feeling.”
A native of Kansas City, Mo., Gioacchini came up through the Paris FC youth academy before joining SM Caen in 2019. He spent the 2021-22 season on loan with Ligue 1 side Montpellier HSC and has 12 goals and four assists in 88 professional appearances.
–Field Level Media