The Oakland Roots announced that they have signed Venezuelan defender Edgardo Rito to a contract on Thursday. This comes two weeks after we confirmed that the two sides were in contact.
Rito lines up along the wing as a natural right-back with experience at right-midfielder and right-winger, those at the club consider him a “hybrid” type of player.
The Oakland Roots’ roster for 2022 is quickly coming together, while Rito’s addition adds another international signing to the bunch.
Roots SC now has six of nine international slots filled with Rito, Matias Fissore, Lindo Mfeka, Jose Hernandez, Alejandro Fuenmayor, and Dariusz Formella.
According to Transfermarkt, Rito holds a market value of $275,000 as of June 7 and naturally plays right-back with right-midfielder and right-winger as secondary options.
Rito, 25, has recent USL Championship experience after making 34 appearances with the New York Red Bulls II from 2019-2020. He spent the 2021 season with Patriotas Boyacá in Colombia’s Categoría Primera A, appearing in 32 matches, scoring three times with two assists, and finished with 2,178 minutes.
Rito’s career began with Atlético El Vigía F.C. in 2013-2014, making 26 appearances for the Primera Division side. From there, he had a brief stint with A.C.D. Lara and caught on with Estudiantes de Caracas in 2015 before being loaned from Yaracuyanos F.C. to Mineros de Guayana in 2016. With Mineros, he made 11 appearances, scored once, and helped the club qualify to the round of 16 of the Copa Venezuela.
The following season, Rito played for Patriotas Boyacá in Colombia and appeared in 26 games and then made 17 caps for Metropolitanos FC back in his home country in 2018. He caught on with the New York Red Bulls II in 2019 and earned a starting role before departing his second stint with Patriotas Boyaca.