Orlando City completed the first major transfer deal of the off-season earlier this week with their acquisition of Dalkurd FF defender Alex de John.
The American international has signed a four-year contract with Orlando and looks set to usurp RJ Allen as Orlando’s first-choice right-back.
After passing a medical and completing terms, Luis Muzzi had this to say about the signing.
“Alex is an experienced defender who adds needed depth to our backline. He is a natural leader with solid experience in Europe and the US,” Orlando City SC EVP of Soccer Operations Luiz Muzzi said in a statement. “We are thrilled to make this key signing at center back ahead of preseason, and know Alex will be a strong contributor to the game both in play and in aiding the development of young players we are bringing to the team.”
THE HISTORY
Born in New Jersey, de John played youth football with Old Dominion Monarchs before signing for Central Jersey Spartans.
It was with the USL Development League club that de John made his first-team debut in 2011, de John would be selected as a draft pick by New England Revolution in the 2011 Super Draft but would not sign a contract.
After 11 league appearances for Central Jersey in the 2011 season, de John would move to the Finnish third division side Ekenas IF on a one year deal and would be part of the side that reached the promotion playoffs.
de John would move to Norway and IK Start after his stint in Finland making 26 appearances for the Norwegian outfit in 2015. Start were known for fielding American players, much like they had with Clarence Goodson and Hunter Freeman, now playing with San Jose Earthquakes and FC Motown respectively.
Alex de John would make 41 appearances for Start before moving to Sweden and Dalkurd FF, to link up with fellow American Andrew Stadler. Alex de John would be part of a Dalkurd side that achieved promotion to the Swedish top tier, having achieved this feet for the first time in the Club's 13 year history.
Alex de John would make 38 appearances for the Swedish Club before signing with Orlando and returning to America on January 11th 2019.
THE PROSPECTS
Orlando City's defence was pretty leaky last season, scoring 43 goals, but conceding a massive 74 goals. You can see why Orlando City have splashed the cash to bring in a quality defender from Scandinavia, who knows how to do one thing and that is defend.
Alex de John will, for Orlando City's sake slot into a defence that includes the likes of: Joao Moutinho, Danilo Acosta, Lamine Sane and RJ Allen.
Danilo Acosta has come in from Real Salt Lake for the 2019 season and Joao Moutinho has joined from LAFC for 2019. Orlando City will be hoping that these three players will be able to create some sort of bound and get a chemistry going that will:
1) See the Florida side rise up the rankings in the Eastern Conference, that from this season will now include FC Cincinnati.
2) Sure up one of the worst defences in the League as a whole.
Orlando City play mainly a 4-2-3-1 formation, which allows the right and left back to act much like wingers when the team does attack. Depending on where Alex de John plays, if he is a central defender or a right / left back, de John could be a Virgil van Dijk type of player or Kyle Walker type of player for Orlando City SC.
Watch out for how much he could be priced at in MLS Fantasy?
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