sport news MLS: Brazilian midfielder Evander signs for Portland Timbers in $10m deal trends now Brazilian midfielder Evander joins Portland Timbers in club-record $10million deal from Danish team Midtjylland in a major coup for the MLS side... with the 24-year-old leading the Europa League for assists so far this season The 24-year-old will be a 'Designated Player' after his arrival from Midtjylland He scored 50 goals and contributed 38 assists in 167 games for the Danish side He is also leading the Europa League in assists with five in six matches this year Before moving to Europe, Evander played for Brazilian club Vasco da Gama in Rio Click here for all your latest international Sports news from DailyMail.com By Alastair Talbot For Dailymail.Com Published: 23:52 GMT, 5 December 2022 | Updated: 23:57 GMT, 5 December 2022 Viewcomments The Portland Timbers have signed Brazilian midfielder Evander in a record $10million transfer, putting it among the top ten most expensive incoming deals in MLS history. Oregon's main soccer team announced that the 24-year-old's contract will run until 2026, with a club option for 2027. He will occupy a Designated Player slot along with speedy midfielder Yimmi Chara, of Colombia, club legend and midfielder Sebastian Blanco, of Argentina, and Polish forward Jarsolaw Niezgoda. 'We are thrilled to announce the acquisition and signing of our new Designated Player, Evander,' Timbers technical director Ned Grabavoy said in a statement released on Monday. Evander, of FC Midtjylland, has signed for the Portland Timbers in a record-breaking $10M deal 'It was clear from the beginning stages of this process that this was a great opportunity for both Evander and the Portland Timbers. He is a player with natural ability, capable of making an impact, and has already proven himself at a good standard. We see him as an integral part of the club's future and look forward to seeing him in Green and Gold soon.' Evander played his last five seasons with Danish Superliga outfit Midtjylland, scoring 50 goals and contributing 38 assists in 167 appearances. He has experience in the Champions League and Europa League, leading the latter in assists with five in six matches this season. Prior to moving to Denmark, Evander spent his first professional seasons as a soccer player with Brazilian club Vasco da Gama, based in Rio De Janeiro. The midfielder has failed to crack into a stacked Brazilian national team so far in his career but featured for the La Selecao at several different youth levels. The 24-year-old Evander has played in the Danish Super Liga and in Brazil for Vasco de Gama In recent years, Denmark has become somewhat of a hotspot for MLS clubs looking for cheap designated players like Nashville's Hany Mukhtar and Philadelphia's Mikael Uhre In recent years, Denmark has become somewhat of a California Gold Rush for MLS clubs looking for affordable designated players. Nashville SC signed Hany Mukhtar from Brondby in 2020 and the German striker, 27, has gone from strength-to-strength, scoring 43 goals in 79 appearances for the relatively new MLS team. He also just won the Landon Donovan 2022 MLS MVP award as well as the 2022 MLS Golden Boot. The Philadelphia Union signed striker Mikael Uhre, also from Brondby, prior to last season's start. The Dane, 28, scored 13 goals in 27 appearances in his single MLS season. Share or comment on this article: All rights reserved for this news site (dailymail) and under his responsibility