Houston Dynamo FC sign Ibrahim Aliyu

• Houston Dynamo FC have confirmed the signing of Nigerian youth international winger, Ibrahim Aliyu from Croatian top-flight side, NK Lokomotiva.

The club announced the completion of the deal before the closing of the MLS Primary Transfer Window.

Aliyu, who joined Lokomotiva Zagreb's youth team at the age of 18, is now 21 years old and has signed a contract with Houston Dynamo until the end of the 2025 MLS season, with options for the 2026-27 season.

He has played 84 matches for NK Lokomotiva and has scored 17 goals with seven assists. In 2019, he also participated in the Africa U20 Cup of Nations.

Speaking about the new signing, General Manager Pat Onstad said, "Ibrahim is a talented young player who provides another dynamic option to our attack. He is a Nigerian youth international capable of playing as a wide attacking midfielder or striker, and his analytic profile provided by SRC FTBL stood out when reviewing options to bolster our offense. We welcome Ibrahim to our city and look forward to seeing him on the field at Shell Energy Stadium this season."

Aliyu is Houston's 16th new signing for the 2023 season and their second U22 Initiative player alongside Nelson Quiñones, a winger who is currently on loan from Colombian side, Once Caldas. The club also has DP striker, Sebastián Ferreira in a high-profile roster slot, though the Paraguayan international and 2022 leading scorer has become second-choice under Olsen.

Houston Dynamo FC are currently at sixth place in the Western Conference standings as they enter Matchday 10. They have a record of four wins, three losses, and one draw with 1.63 points per game, putting them on pace for an Audi MLS Cup Playoffs trip for the first time since 2017.

The club's head coach, Ben Olsen, has been building a new-look front three for the team and Aliyu's arrival is expected to bolster the team's attacking options.