Former TFC forward Achara heading to Houston

Article content

Ifunanyachi Achara arrived in Toronto in 2020 with a considerable amount of fanfare, but has left rather quietly.

After three years with Toronto FC, the club declined the 2023 contract option on the Nigerian forward. On Wednesday the Houston Dynamo signed the 25-year-old for the 2023 season with an option for 2024. Achara was picked by Houston in Stage 2 of the MLS Re-Entry Draft on Nov. 22 and the two sides have reached an agreement.

“Achara is a powerful and fast, young attacker who provides valuable depth across our front line,” Dynamo general manager Pat Onstad said in a release. “As a club, we are looking to add more players with a history of winning trophies, regardless of the level.

“We were impressed by Achara’s leadership role during a very successful period for the Georgetown Hoyas, including a National Championship in 2019,” Onstad added. “We look forward to his continued growth as a young professional and expect him to add to our culture and contribute to our attack in 2023.”

Achara has three goals and two assists in 30 games (11 starts) since Toronto picked him in the first round of the 2020 MLS SuperDraft. He made his MLS debut on March 7 2020 and was chosen man of the match after scoring the only goal in a 1-0 victory over New York City FC. He also scored a goal that was later ruled off-side by VAR.

However, Achara’s promising career in Toronto was sidetracked when he tore his ACL in training early in 2020, his rookie season over after just one game. He played 14 and 15 respectively in 2021 and 2022, but never became a regular in the starting XI.

TFC selected midfielder Víctor Vázquez in Stage 2 of the MLS Re-Entry Draft, but the two sides have yet to reach an agreement. The Reds are also attempting to sign former FC Dallas CD Matt Hedges.