SAN JOSE, California — The San Jose Earthquakes have strengthened their roster by acquiring All-Star forward Cristian Arango in a trade with Real Salt Lake.

The deal, which was announced on Saturday, sees Real Salt Lake receiving $1.4 million in general allocation money spread out over the next two years, along with an international roster slot for 2026.

Cristian Arango, often referred to by his nickname Chicho, is a 29-year-old Colombian player who enjoyed a successful two-season run with Real Salt Lake, netting 23 goals and providing 14 assists in just 41 appearances. Last season, he had an impressive output with 17 goals and 12 assists.

Prior to his time at Real Salt Lake, Arango had a brief stint in Mexico’s Liga MX with Pachuca. He gained recognition as Major League Soccer’s Newcomer of the Year in 2021 during his time with LAFC, and he has also played for clubs in Portugal and his home country of Colombia.

Expressing his enthusiasm for this new endeavor, Arango stated, “I’m very excited to take on this new challenge in San Jose together with everyone at the club, all of the fans and my family. I hope we can accomplish big things.”

He has also represented the Colombian national team in two matches.