Report: D.C. United pursuing Toluca, Ecuador forward Michael Estrada

Following last week’s report of D.C. United attempting to secure Ecuador winger Joao Rojas from Emelec, now comes a report that the Black-and-Red are considering a move for Michael Estrada, a 25-year-old forward currently with Toluca in Liga MX. The move would be a loan with a buy option according to Cesar Merlo, who coincidentally reported on D.C.’s advanced talks with Rojas last week before Emelec released a statement saying that the player was “untransferable.”

Edwards has had a slow start to this season with Toluca thus far, going goalless in 579 minutes, but he is coming off a 2020-21 campaign where he scored 11 goals and 4 assists in his first full season with Los Diablos Rojos, following moving to the club from Ecuador side Macara at the end of 2019. Largely a forward with a dusting of time spent on both wings, Estrada also has appearances with the Ecuador national team as well, scoring seven goals in 27 first-team appearances, most recently in an October World Cup Qualifying win over Bolivia. Estrada’s five goals in 13 qualifiers for Qatar place him tied for fourth in CONMEBOL with Lautaro Martinez, Christian Cueva, and Luis Suarez, and behind only Lionel Messi (6), Neymar (7), and Marcelo Moreno (9). Estrada is with the team in their upcoming qualifiers with Brazil (Thursday) and at Peru on February 1, with the team in a qualifying 3rd place spot in the region.

For D.C., a move to bring Estrada in now would provide some competition up front with Nigel Robertha and Golden Boot runner-up Ola Kamara, though the latter is reportedly being shopped for potential offers. With the potential for Taxiarchis Fountas — who has reportedly signed a pre-contract — having his arrival moved up from midseason to an earlier point, a move for Estrada could provide several weapons in attack for Hernán Losada’s side.

Highlights ahoy: