The Colorado Rapids first bolstered their defense when the MLS secondary transfer market opened Wednesday. Now, they’re adding a player up top.
According to numerous club sources with knowledge of the situation, the Rapids have signed striker Rafael Navarro from Brazilian side Palmeiras, with a formal announcement expected this week and possibly as early as Monday.
The deal is a year-long loan with the option to acquire Navarro permanently at the end of the loan, which Tom Bogert of The Athletic first reported. Colorado will pay Palmeiras a $500,000 loan fee and if the club opts to purchase at the end of the deal, it would cost an additional $4.5 million. That figure would shatter the previous club record transfer fee of $2.7 million for Juan Ramírez paid in February 2015.
This is not the first time Colorado has dealt with Brazilian clubs. The Rapids brought in left back Lucas Esteves, also from Palmeiras, on an Under-22 Initiative deal for a loan-to-buy in August 2021, and signed Max Alves from Flamengo in another U-22 Initiative deal in January 2022. They did not end up acquiring Esteves for an estimated $1 million fee due to what team sources described at the time as a poor attitude toward training.
Navarro, 23, brings plenty of prowess to Colorado as he scored 11 goals and added four assists in 65 appearances for Palmeiras. He was the Brazilian second-division’s third-highest scorer with Botafogo in 2021, tallying 15 goals and nine assists in 37 appearances. Soon after, he made the jump to Palmiras as a free agent. He played key matches in 2022 Copa Libertadores, the South American equivalent of the UEFA Champions League, with seven goals and two assists across 10 appearances.
Given that the Rapids (3-10-8, 17 points) currently own the worst record in Major League Soccer, they are eager to re-ignite their offensive to mount a playoff push. Colorado has scored 16 goals all season after Saturday night’s 2-1 win.
According to Tiago Brandão, a Brazilian journalist who covers MLS and soccer in Brazil, Navarro has good speed, strong aerial abilities and is creative off the ball. He can attract defenders to him, which opens up space for other players on the attack. When the ball is at his feet, however, he has a knack for knowing where the goal is. If he can slot in right away to the Rapids’ side, a move to Commerce City could help him re-discover his form.
“He is still an evolving player, he still has things to improve, especially some decision-making in the final part of the pitch,” Brandão told The Post. “But he is a player capable of producing offensively in many ways.”
Colorado will play a condensed 45-minute game Wednesday against Portland after the previous game was postponed due to weather. Pending his visa scenario, if Navarro arrives this week, he’d be available for next Saturday’s match against Houston Dynamo as well as the upcoming Leagues Cup against MLS and Mexican Liga MX teams.
Want more sports news? Sign up for the Sports Omelette to get all our analysis on Denver’s teams.
