Darwin Quintero Announced as Minnesota United's First Designated Player

Under the shadow of the under-construction Allianz Field in St. Paul, Minnesota United took another step in their development into the MLS on Monday as they announced their first designated player, Colombian attacking midfielder Darwin Quintero.

Quintero has played in Mexico’s Liga MX for the last nine seasons, most recently completing three seasons with Club América of Mexico City. He will likely slot directly into the attacking central midfield spot held at the start of the MLS season by Kevin Molino, and in weeks past by Miguel Ibarra after Molino’s season-ending injury.

Quintero, who will wear “Darwin Jr.” on the back of his jersey with No. 25, conducted most of the press conference in Spanish with translation by Minnesota United public relations, but his first comment to press, in English was clear.

“I am very happy to be here.”

Head coach Adrian Heath spoke about the things Quintero can bring to United in glowing terms.

“He has an incredible range of passing, great vision, great assist maker,” Heath said. “Our supporters are going to love watching him play.”

Quintero himself spoke about his goals and the reasons he’s moving to Minnesota.

“This is one more challenge in my career,” he said. “I’m very grateful to Adrian [Heath] and Amos [Magee] and all the coaching staff for everything they’ve done and for the trust they’ve put in me, and I’m very excited to be here in Minnesota and give it my all.

“It’s an ambitious project that we have here, but together we can achieve really great things, become champions,” he said, words that have not often been thought about this Minnesota club. “I hope that everyone is on board for the work that we’re going to put in.”

The work seems to have a pretty obvious starting point after Saturday’s disappointing 1-0 loss to Atlanta United, which Quintero watched from the stands after arriving in Minnesota on Thursday evening.

“I think if you take the game at the weekend, it might have been a perfect example,” Heath said of why Quintero was signed. “We had something like 80 percent possession in the second half. The game was virtually, for the last thirty minutes, camped in their back third.

“I just think that someone like Darwin might have been able to pick a pass, might have been able to make that final ball, might have created something in the final third,” Heath said. “That’s why these guys are generally the most expensive players on the field.”

Quintero will be available for selection for United’s next game, away at Portland on April 14, and three points to start his Minnesota career against a Timbers team who have only picked up two points in four matches would be an ideal beginning.

Quintero isn’t just looking at the next game though. Allianz Field will be ready for him next season, and Quintero plans to be ready for it.

“I hope to score the first goal in that stadium and continue to play my best,” he said.

Looking out at a snow-covered Allianz Field construction site, a Quintero opening goal sounds like a perfect fantasy for next March. Darwin Quintero has arrived, and the work starts now.


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