Andres Flores will be reunited with his former coach, Giovanni Savarese, in Portland. (Photo courtesy of the Cosmos)
If the Cosmos do return for 2018, they will have to rebuild the team.
Another player left the squad Wednesday as El Salvadoran international midfielder Andrés Flores signed with Portland Timbers.
“Andrés is a good player and a great teammate. A leader on and off the field that helped us win multiple championships,” Cosmos Chief Operating Officer Erik Stover said in a statement. “We’re happy that he’s being reunited with Gio in Portland.”
That’s former Cosmos head coach Giovanni Savarese, who has become the coach of the Major League Soccer team.
One of North American Soccer League leaders in assists with eight, the 27-year-old Flores was a member of the squad that reached the 2017 NASL final. He performed in more than 80 official matches with New York over four years. He finished with 10 goals and 18 assists, winning titles in 2015 and 2016.
Flores joined the Cosmos in July 2014 on loan from El Salvadoran side Turín-FESA and made a permanent move to the club later that year.
“There is a before and an after in my career and that is the New York Cosmos,” Flores said. “This club represented a period of enormous personal and professional growth for me,” said Flores. “I would like to thank Gio Savarese, Mr. Rocco B. Commisso and the front staff and players for four extraordinary years in New York. Last but not least, I would like to thank all the fans for their continuous support and the Salvadoran community of New York for always making me feel right at home.”
The 5-6, 150-lb. Flores became the 10th Cosmos player to leave the team since the end of the season as Flores became the 10 Cosmos as the NASL waits for a ruling in appellate court in its lawsuit against the U.S. Soccer Federation. At the present time, the NASL does not have concrete plans to play this year, although there is a possibility is could return in a fall-spring set-up in August.
In December, three Cosmos players joined new clubs.
Goalkeeper Jimmy Maurer hooked up with FC Dallas (Major League Soccer) while defender David Diosa signed with the Real Monarchs (Untied Soccer League) and midfielder Irving Herrera returned to his native El Salvador to play with FAS.
Argentine forward Pablo Vranjicán joined Alianza Petrolera F.C. (Colombia) and midfielder Emmanuel Ledesma has signed with FC Cincinnati (USL).
Defender David Ochieng has joined IF Brommapojkarna of the Swedish First Division.
On Jan. 12, midfielder Javi Marquez signed with with Club Gimnàstic de Tarragona of the Spanish Segunda Division.
On Saturday, Jan. 20 the Cosmos transferred midfielder Eric Calvillo to the San Jose Earthquakes (MLS).
And, right back Ryan Richter announced his retirement as a player to enter the coaching ranks Tuesday, Jan. 23.