FRISCO, Texas - With the season winding down and North Texas fighting for a playoff spot, the front office knew that in order to compete at the highest level, a change in the squad was necessary.
Enter 19-year-old Argentina U-20 youth international Lautaro Taboada.
North Texas was able to sign the young Argentine forward after he played five matches with Argentinian team All Boys. Taboada’s talent made North Texas general manager Matt Denny eager to bring him to the club.
“We have a scouting network that’s tasked with finding and identifying the profile of the player we’re looking for. When we found Lautaro, who's only 19 years old, playing second division in Argentina, a really physical league, we knew he was a special talent to be getting minutes that early on. Normally a player like him would cost a lot of money, but since he was out of contract with the club we were able to sign him. To get him into the team and have the ability to develop him is great for us,” said Denny.
During his time with the Argentinian club All Boys, Taboada flashed his massive potential by scoring the game-winner in a 2-1 victory over Def. de Belgrano.
“We see him as a really good talent now but also someone that can project to the First Team,” said Denny. “He’s really good on the ball, has good finishing attributes, and is the kind of player with that x-factor. He has great balance and coordination with the ability to link up play as well. He’s somebody that ticks a lot of boxes, and as we're building a squad for next year, he can be at the core of that.”
Taboada made his debut with North Texas coming on as a substitute in an eventual 2-1 loss on the road to Minnesota United 2.
While the young forward has great potential, both he and the club understand that he wasn’t signed to produce for this season alone.
Taboada remarks, “What attracted me to North Texas was the growth and development they have for their players. Not only in the moment, but also in the long term.”
Under the guidance of interim coach John Gall, North Texas has transitioned into playing a more possession-based style, making the young forward an indispensable addition to the team.
“Lautaro is a true number nine. He has a lot of experience from South America, and we’ve seen that in training since we brought him in. He has a great nose for goal and is always hungry to score,” said Gall.
In the last match against Tacoma Defiance, Taboada made his first start for the club and had a solid game, registering four total shots and one on goal.
Despite just recently joining the team, Taboada has shown leadership and a willingness to integrate himself into the team to achieve the ultimate result: making the playoffs and winning a trophy.
“For this season, I would like to help the team qualify for the playoffs. There’s not many games left, but we are fighting for it till the end.”
North Texas SC will be back in action on Friday, August 25th, at BC Place, where it will take on Vancouver Whitecaps 2. Friday’s game will kick off at 9:30PM on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.
