The Houston Dynamo selected defender Leonardo in the second stage of the Major League Soccer Re-Entry Draft, the club and the league announced today.
By selecting him in the Re-Entry Draft, the Dynamo obtain the exclusive right to negotiate a contract with Leonardo for the 2017 season. Although he was born in Brazil, Leonardo is a naturalized United States citizen and thus would not count as an International player on the Dynamo roster under MLS rules if he signs a contract with the club.
Leonardo has seven years of experience in MLS, all with the LA Galaxy after joining that club in 2010 on loan from São Paolo in the Brazilian Campeonato. The 28-year-old won three MLS Cups with the Galaxy, including starting in the 2014 MLS Cup Final, and was selected as the club’s Defender of the Year in 2015.
A native of São Paolo, Brazil, Leonardo has played in 85 career MLS regular-season matches with 79 starts and has scored two goals. After missing much of 2016 due to injury, he looks to return fully fit for the 2017 season. Leonardo is the second player selected by the Dynamo in the Re-Entry Draft, and the second defender. Houston selected defender Dylan Remick in the first stage of the Re-Entry Draft On December 16.
