Update:
Oakland Roots announced that they have officially signed Bryan Tamacas on Thursday.
Reports out of El Salvador indicate that Oakland Roots are set to sign La Selecta defender Bryan Tamacas to a contract.
The blog reached out to the club, which confirmed that the final pieces of paperwork are being processed–so an announcement appears to be expected in the coming days.
El Salvador National Team coach Hugo Perez also commented on the situation, seemingly confirming that Tamacas is headed to Oakland.
“He (Tamacas) is a professional and has a job. This is an opportunity for him that he has to take advantage of. When they are watching you from other leagues and you are not ready, that opportunity goes away and he has to take advantage of the one that they have given him. He decided to sign with this team,” said Perez, translated from Diario El Salvador.
Tamacas is a significant part of El Salvador’s National Team as its most capped player with 62 appearances and previously wore the captain’s armband. There was some speculation on Twitter that Tamacas would land in MLS, so this is a major signing for Oakland.
Per source, head coach Noah Delgado is a big factor in the move with his connection to the El Salvador National Team; Delgado notably served as an assistant coach under Perez in 2021. Although Tamacas enters with the majority of his experience at right back, there is a feeling that he could play as the right-side center back in a back-three and has the capability to line up as a left back as well. He also got some time at right wing while at Alianza Fútbol Club of El Salvador’s Primera División.
He marks the sixth international signing for Oakland Roots. They have three applicable slots left.
- Darek Formella (Poland)
- Anuar Peláez (Colombia)
- Trayvone Reid (Jamaica)
- Edgardo Rito (Venezuela)
- Bryan Tamacas (El Salvador)
- Kevin Wright (England, Sierra Leone)
Tamacas is set to turn 28-years-old on February 21 and enters Oakland Roots with the highest Transfermarkt valuation of all players on the roster at €375,000. His highlight reel shows a player who understands the physical nature of play in North and Central America, frequently holding off players to make accurate passes and draw fouls.
As a fullback, he makes instinctive runs into the box and always is looking to find his passing target. The bulk of his highlights are focused around his crosses into the area, his mobility, and tendency to press high, but he’s also a skilled defender–which would be key if Delgado throws him out as a center back in a back-three.
Starting at 8:13 of Tamacas’ highlights shows what he can do on defense. He does well to shut down Gyasi Zardes on two occasions, starts a counter attack against Mexico, and presses Jamaica into a turnover in its own half.
Tamacas comes to Oakland as a free agent after spending 2020-2022 with Alianza Fútbol Club, making 67 total appearances and scored eight goals. He won El Salvador’s Clausura title in 2015 and 2017 with Santa Tecla Fútbol Club, while he also won an Apertura title in 2017.
With the El Salvador National Team, Tamacas has contributed in significant events for the international squad. He has 22 World Cup Qualifying appearances, played in 10 Gold Cup games with five qualifier caps, and two CONCACAF Nations League appearances with four qualifier caps.
He’s spent nearly his entire career in the first division of El Salvador, beginning his career with Club Deportivo Futbolistas Asociados Santanecos in 2013-2014 before making his way to Santa Tecla Fútbol Club from 2015-2018, where he made 150 appearances and scored seven times.
From there, he made three appearances with Club Sportivo Luqueño Paraguay’s first division in 2019 but returned to Santa Tecla for 2019-2020. He then signed with Alianza FC in 2020. For his Primera División career, Tamacas has 92 appearances, 78 starts, and scored nine times.
He is now the 22nd player on the Oakland Roots’ 2023 roster.
Goal Keepers (2): Taylor Bailey, Paul Blanchette.
Defenders (8): Danny Barbir, Memo Diaz, Emrah Klimenta, Tarek Morad, Drew Murray, Edgardo Rito, Bryan Tamacas, Kevin Wright.
Midfielders: (9) Irakoze Donasiyano, Daniel Gomez, Ryan Her, Ethan Kohler, Napo Matsoso, Lindo Mfeka, Joseph Nane, Wolfgang Prentice, Trayvone Reid.
Forwards (3): Darek Formella, Anuar Peláez, Johnny Rodriguez.
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