The Houston Dynamo acquired forward Carlos Darwin Quintero in a trade with Minnesota United FC, both clubs announced today. The Dynamo also receive Minnesota’s natural third-round draft pick in the 2020 MLS SuperDraft in exchange for forward Marlon Hairston and a total of $600,000 in Allocation Money. The Dynamo will send Minnesota $150,000 in TAM and $150,000 in GAM each in 2020 and 2021.
The forward joined Minnesota after nearly a decade in Mexico with Club Santos Laguna and Club América. Quintero won five trophies during his stint in Mexico and finished as the league‘s top goal scorer in the 2013 LigaMX Apertura season and the 2012-13 Concacaf Champions League tournament.
Quintero spent his final four years in Mexico with Club América, where he scored 27 goals and provided 23 assists in 146 appearances. Quintero won back-to-back Concacaf Champions League trophies with Las Águilas in 2015 and 2016. He spent six years with Club Santos Laguna, where he scored 92 goals in 276 appearances across all competitions. Quintero won the 2012 LigaMX Clausura title and 2014 Apertura CopaMX championship with Santos.
“Darwin’s track record speaks for itself. He’s a proven difference maker in MLS and Liga MX who has adapted very well to our league,” said Dynamo Senior Vice President and General Manager Matt Jordan. “We are confident that Darwin’s ability to play a variety of attacking positions and create chances for himself and his teammates in the final third make him an ideal fit for the Houston Dynamo as we prepare for the 2020 season.”
Quintero, 32, joined Minnesota on March 31, 2018 as their first Designated Player in franchise history. The Colombian forward finished with 21 goals and tallied 20 assists for the Loons in league play in two seasons. The forward played a role in more than 40 percent of all Minnesota goals (41 of 95) during his tenure with the club.
Quintero recently led Minnesota to their first appearance in the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs and a trip to the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Final this season. He won the Open Cup’s Golden Boot, finishing with six goals in the tournament, and recorded an assist against the LA Galaxy in Minnesota’s first-ever playoff match. The forward also earned a trip to the 2018 MLS All-Star Game as part of the squad that faced Juventus at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta last summer.
Quintero began his career in his native Columbia with Deportes Tolima in 2005 where he scored 24 goals in 55 appearances. The forward spent one year with Krylia Sovetov from the Russian Premier League in 2007. The speedy attacker would return to Colombia in 2008 to spend the year with Deportivo Pereira where he finished the Torneo Finalizacion with 13 goals – three goals shy of the Golden Boot.
Quintero received his Green Card earlier this year and will not occupy an International slot on the Dynamo roster.
The 32-year-old has scored one goal at the senior level with Colombia and has 14 caps with Los Cafeteros. The forward was also a member of the 2007 U-20 Colombian National Team.
Transaction: Houston Dynamo acquire Darwin Quintero and a 2020 MLS SuperDraft third round pick in exchange for Marlon Hairston and $150,000 in TAM and $150,000 in GAM each in 2020 and 2021.
