Minnesota United sign Paraguayan international right-back Alan Benitez

Minnesota United have acquired Paraguayan international right-back Alan Benitez from Cerro Porteño, signing him to a two-and-a-half-year contract with a club option for the 2025 Major League Soccer season. 

The move works to balance Minnesota’s injury struggles as Hassani Dotson and Romain Metanire remain sidelined. 

“Alan is a very fit and powerful player and his biggest threat is going forward and contributing to the attack and that fits very well with the way that we play,” head coach Adrian Heath said in a release. “That’s something we’ve lacked in consistently over the season and we believe, and this part and parcel of Alan’s game and one of this strengths and I think he will help us in that regard.

“When you look at his body of work with Cerro Porteño – one of the biggest clubs in Paraguay – he’s a Paraguayan international, Luis Amarilla knows him well, we watched him a lot and we felt it was a good opportunity at this time.”

The defender kicked off his professional career in 2013, with his hometown side Club Libertad Asunción. He’s managed five goals and 11 assists in 107 appearances since his debut, featuring in the Paraguayan league and the Copa Libertadores.

Benitez has also earned five caps for Paraguay, making his debut in 2017 in an international friendly against Mexico. 

He now joins sixth-place Minnesota United, as they fight to make a fourth straight MLS Cup Playoffs appearance.