HERRIMAN, UTAH (Friday, March 12, 2021) – Real Salt Lake has signed winger Anderson Julio on loan from San Luis in Mexico’s Liga MX for the 2021 season. The 24-year-old comes to RSL after scoring 27 goals with 26 assists in 134 career matches across all competitions with LDU Quito in his native Ecuador. Julio has joined the team for training and will join the roster pending receipt of his ITC and visa.
“We are thrilled to add a player of Anderson’s ability and quality to our roster,” RSL General Manager Elliot Fall said. “He’s a player that we’ve been watching for several years now and tried to acquire before he went to Mexico. The opportunity arose again to bring him in and we jumped at it. We are looking forward to what he brings to the group and what he’ll contribute to a successful 2021 campaign.”
Julio made his professional debut at 20 years old in 2016 and scored two goals in 14 appearances for LDU Quito in his first season. His scoring breakthrough came in 2018 when he notched 12 goals and seven assists in 45 matches across the Serie A Etapa. During that season, he helped LDU Quito win the Ecuadorian Serie A title and reach the Round of 16 in the 2018 Copa Sudamericana. During that tournament he had one goal and three assists in six matches, including a goal in the first leg of the Round of 16 matchup with Deportivo Cali from Colombia. In the 2019 Copa Libertadores, he would tally three goals and one assist in nine matches, netting a hat trick in a 4-0 win over Club San Jose of Bolivia in the process. In his final season in 2019, he had six goals and six assists in 23 matches before adding one goal and three assists in the Serie A Playoffs, helping Quito reach the tournament final.
Following his successful 2019 season, he moved to San Luis in Mexico, where he has played 20 matches since his arrival during the 2019/20 Clausura.
“When we initially scouted him, we liked Anderson’s verticality. He is able to run at pace and get behind the opponent. He’s very aggressive and willing to run in behind and that offers a lot to our team. He loves to get the ball and run at someone 1v1, which is another thing we look for in our wingers,” RSL Head Coach Freddy Juarez said. “I also had the opportunity to talk with him and his family and he has the type of character that we want in our club.”
Julio joins an attacking group that features players representing eight different countries as Real Salt Lake looks to return to the MLS Cup Playoffs for the third time in the last four seasons.
Real Salt Lake is in the midst of the 2021 preseason and will open the MLS Regular Season slate on the road on Saturday, April 24 against Minnesota United FC. RSL’s home schedule opens on Saturday, May 1 at noon MT at Rio Tinto Stadium against rival Sporting Kansas City.
Transaction: Real Salt Lake acquires winger Anderson Julio on loan from San Luis for the 2021 season.
Player Information
Name: Anderson Julio
Position: Forward
DOB: 05/31/1996
Height: 5’7”
Real Salt Lake current roster as of 03/12/21
Goalkeepers (4): Jeff Dewsnup, Zac MacMath, David Ochoa, Andrew Putna
Defenders (10): Andrew Brody, Justen Glad, Bret Halsey, Aaron Herrera, Erik Holt, Ashtone Morgan, Noah Powder, Tate Schmitt, Marcelo Silva, Donny Toia
Midfielders (7): Nick Besler, Bode Davis, Damir Kreilach, Everton Luiz, Justin Portillo, Pablo Ruiz, Albert Rusnák
Forwards (8): Maikel Chang, Chris Garcia, Milan Iloski, Anderson Julio, Douglas Martinez, Justin Meram, Jeizon Ramirez, Rubio Rubin
