New England Soccer Today

Banking on Bengtson

The Revolution made a splash one week after the International Transfer Window opened by signing Honduran striker Jerry Bengtson as a designated player on Thursday. (Photo: New England Revolution)

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – Honduran striker Jerry Bengtson joined the New England Revolution on a transfer from Honduran club CD Motagua on Thursday and will occupy one of the team’s Designated Player roster spots, as well as an international roster spot. Per league and club policies, further contract details were not be released.

Bengtson participated in full training on Thursday and practiced at his familiar center forward role. He will be officially added to the club’s roster upon receipt of his U.S. P-1 Visa and his International Transfer Certificate.

“He’s been our radar,” Revolution coach Jay Heaps said on Thursday. “We’ve been close to (signing) him before. But talks really started to heat up in the last few weeks.”

Bengtson will occupy the team’s second designated player spot after Shalrie Joseph signed a designated player deal for the 2012 season in December.

The 25-year-old started his career in Honduras with Vida in 2007 and led the league in scoring in the 2009-2010 Clausura and 2010-2011 Apertura campaigns with 13 and 12 goals, respectively.

Bengtson then earned a move to Motagua, where he captured the scoring title for the third straight season with 15 goals in the 2010-2011 Clausura. Motagua would win the league title that season. His scoring totals have dropped since then with nine goals, good enough for second in the league, in the 2011-2012 Apertura and just two goals in the 2011-2012 Clasura.

“You want to get players who not only buy into what you’re doing, but also bring something special,” Heaps said. “He’s got great size and great speed and a knack (for scoring) around the goal.”

The 6-foot-1 striker has been a part of the Honduran national team since 2010 and has eight goals in 22 caps. He has been selected to the Honduran Olympic team as one of their three overage players and will leave the Revs later this month to join the team in London.

In the meantime, Bengtson will be in Foxborough for the next two weeks or so as he acclimates himself to his new surroundings and, most notably, his new team.

“Fitness-wise, it’s going to help me out,” Bengtson said through a translator on Thursday. “I didn’t get to train with the national team as much as I wanted to. Working here, and getting myself fit and ready will allow me to adapt to MLS.”

Although Bengtson’s goalscoring form is what initially attracted Bengtson to the club nearly two years ago, Heaps was also pleased to discover that his new striker is ready to put in the work to succeed in MLS.

Bengtson, for his part is anxious to get started, even though his International Transfer Certificate and P-1 Visa have not yet been received.

“I’m ready to work hard and to own the starting position and to help the team,” Bengtson said. “Hopefully, I’ll start on Sunday.”

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