Maicon Santos the right fit for United

With today’s acquisition of 27-year old Maicon Santos, D.C. United believes it has found a player that can make an immediate impact. At 6' 1" tall and 185 pounds, the Brazilian has shown an ability – and willingness – to battle the League’s center backs in order to open up the attack for his teammates.

"We feel that Maicon will fit really well into our system,” said General Manager Dave Kasper this morning after Santos put pen to paper. “He's a solid target player and will allow for players like De Rosario, Pontius, Najar, Wolff and Boskovic to find space when making runs off his possession.”

Santos will certainly be very familiar with at least one D.C. United player. The forward spent all of 2010 and the first part of the 2011 season in Toronto as a teammate of Dwayne De Rosario.

“We created a good relationship on and off the field,” said the 2011 MLS MVP De Rosario of his first go-around with Santos. “I think he is a guy that brings a lot to the team. He is a good target forward, good with his feet, and he has a great left foot.”

When on the field together in Toronto, the De Rosario-Santos tandem combined to score a total of 11 goals in 14 games (De Rosario-7, Santos-4). Two of De Rosario’s seven total goals in that stretch came via assists from Santos.

“Clearly, he has a familiarity with DeRo's style of play since both played at Toronto,” said Kasper. “We're excited to have them working together again here."

D.C. United supporters can certainly hope the two former teammates, combined with the numerous attacking options already on the roster, will result in a fierce frontline for the Black-and-Red.

“When he is on his game he is probably one of the top strikers in the league,” said De Rosario. “It’s nice to have him here.”