NOTABLE ACQUISITIONS | Georgios Samaras, Ariel Martinez Add To Growing List Of Senior Internationals

Photo credit: PA

The 11 teams preparing for the start of play on April 2 are nearing completion of their rosters, with a few teams nibbling around the edges the past week to bolster their lineups. The volume of new signings has decreased over the past few weeks, but roster work is really never done. A full list of the transfer activity can be found here.

Samaras Joins Rayo OKC

Much like the Greek god Hermes before him, Georgios Samaras knows a bit about boundaries, travel, communications, and language. After all, the much-traveled Greek international striker has played in Crete, the Netherlands, Scotland, England, Saudi Arabia (on loan), and flirted with the New York Cosmos of the NASL before signing last week with the expansion club Rayo OKC.

“We are extremely excited and blessed to be able to sign Georgios,” Rayo OKC coach Alen Marcina said upon the introduction of Samaras, 31. “He has played at the highest levels throughout his career and we are very fortunate to add him to our club. He brings a wealth of experience on top of his incredible talent level that will be immeasurable for our team.”

After leaving the English club West Bromwich Albion last year, Samaras spent extended time training with the Cosmos as he looked to regain his fitness after sustaining a back injury. When the Cosmos didn’t sign him, Samaras packed his bags and headed for Oklahoma.

He takes along an impressive résumé that includes a long run with Glasgow Celtic in which he scored 74 goals in more than 250 games in all competitions and became a crowd favorite. He had been part of Greece’s national team program since 2006, including the 2014 World Cup in Brazil when his goal sent the Greeks to the second round.

Miami FC Signs Another Cuban International

The other NASL expansion team, Miami FC, will begin its first season on April 2 (against local rival the Fort Lauderdale Strikers) and added to the growing list of Cubans in the league when it signed midfielder Ariel Martínez, 29. In his 58 games for Cuba’s national team, Martínez scored 34 goals, including a hat trick in a 4-0 win against Belize in the 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup.