REAL SALT LAKE
ACQUIRES FW PAULO ARAUJO JR. VIA LOAN FROM
MIAMI FC
USSF D-2 Pro League Standout to Join Defending MLS Cup
Champs for Stretch Drive of 2010 Campaign
SANDY, Utah (Thursday, September
9, 2010) – Real Salt Lake today announced the acquisition of FW Paulo
Araujo Jr. via a loan deal with Miami FC of the USSF D-2 Pro League.
The loan arrangement will keep the Brazilian striker, a member of the reigning
MLS Cup champion through the remainder of its 2010 season, including the MLS
Cup Playoffs. Paulo Jr. will be available for selection for Real Salt Lake when
the Utah side takes on Seattle Sounders FC this evening at Qwest Field (9:00
p.m. MT, live on ESPN2/ESPN Deportes).
Paulo Jr. will occupy
the last of Real Salt Lake’s five available International player roster slots,
joining the Argentinean trio of FW Fabian Espindola, MF Nelson Gonzalez, and MF
Javier Morales; and Costa Rican FW Álvaro Saborío on the list.
“We are
excited to add a forward like Paulo to give us as many options up top as
possible as we push through our congested schedule of CONCACAF and League games
at the end of our season,” said RSL General Manager Garth Lagerwey.
Paulo Jr. joins Real
Salt Lake after notching four assists and scoring a team-high eight goals in 22
appearances (18 starts) in USSF D-2 Pro League play, which ranked him tied for
fifth on the 12-team league’s goal-scoring chart at the time of his departure.
In addition, Paulo Jr. ranks as the co-leading scorer of the 2010 edition of
the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, his five goals in three games tying him with Nate
Jaqua of tournament finalist Seattle Sounders FC for the competition’s scoring
lead.
The 21-year-old
attacker – who will don “Paulo” on his RSL jersey in the tradition of Brazilian
players – began his professional career with Campeonato Brasileiro Série C club Ituano in 2008 before
signing with Miami FC in 2009. During his first season with the South Florida
side last year, Paulo Jr. tallied three goals and three assists in 18 league
matches in USL First Division play.
#23 PAULO ARAUJO JR. (PAULO JR.)
Full
Name:
Paulo Morais de Araujo Junior
Pronunciation: ah-RAH-ho
Position: Forward
Height: 5’
7’’
Weight: 158 lbs.
Born: January 23, 1989 in
Teresina, Brazil
Hometown: Teresina, Brazil
Citizenship: Brazil
College: N/A
MLS
Experience:
1st Season
Last
Club:
Miami FC (2010)
Professional Career
2010: Miami FC (USSF D-2 Pro League): Started in 18 of his
22 matches with Miami FC in League play, registering a team-high 8 goals and
adding 4 assists across 1,675 minutes of action … At the time of his departure,
ranked in USSF D-2’s top five with 20 points (3rd), 8 goals (T-4th),
and 50 shots (5th) … Also scored five times in three Lamar Hunt U.S.
Open Cup contests, his five goals ranking at the top of the competition’s
scoring chart heading into the Final (tied with Seattle’s Nate Jaqua) … Four of
those goals came during a 10-minute span in added extra time in Miami FC’s
First Round 5-1 win over the Central Florida Kraze (PDL) on June 15 … Also
tallied the Blues’ opener (2’) a week later in the squad’s 2-1 (AET) victory
over fellow D-2 side Tampa Bay … Started and went the full 90 minutes on June
29 at Houston Dynamo in a 0-1 Third Round defeat … Re-signed with Miami on
March 15 for its 2010 season.
2009: Miami FC (USL First Division): Notched three goals
and three assists across 18 appearances in his first season with Miami … Made
his Blues debut on May 20 v. Charleston Battery, and scored his first USL goal
a month later on June 20 vs. Cleveland City Stars
2008:
Ituano FC (Campeonato Brasileiro Série C): Began his professional career in 2008
with Ituano FC of the Campeonato Brasileiro Série C before signing with Miami
FC in 2009.
Personal
Born
Paulo Morais de Araujo Junior in Teresina, Brazil
TRANSACTION: Real Salt Lake acquires forward
Paulo Araujo Jr. on loan from USSF D-2 Pro League’s Miami FC for remainder of
2010 MLS season.
www.RealSaltLake.com / www.RioTintoStadium.com / www.RSLtotheCore.com / www.ESPN700Sports.com
