The start of the 2026 regular season is getting closer and closer. With each passing day, FC Dallas is getting ready for the new season and appear to have most of their roster set, except for one key position at the attacking midfield spot.
A new report today from The Athletic’s Tom Bogert suggests the club is getting closer to checking that spot off their to-do list. Bogert reports that FC Dallas is close to signing Uruguayan midfielder Joaquín Valiente.
🇺🇾 Sources: FC Dallas in advanced talks to sign Uruguayan attacking midfielder Joaquín Valiente from Defensor SC. Wouldn't be a DP if deal is reached. Still working. Valiente, 24, spent last year on loan at Ecuadorian club Barcelona SC. Had 5g/5a there. Had 2g/11a season prior
— Tom Bogert (@tombogert.bsky.social) 2026-02-05T15:38:20.636Z
Valiente has mostly been an attacking midfielder with Defensor SC, but can also play along the wings. He had four goals and four assists this past season, across 28 games.
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Quick BDS Take
The lack of a Designated Player part is intriguing, which makes me believe this would be a TAM signing for the club. Dallas does have the space to make a TAM-signing like this since they opted not to bring back Sebastian Lletget.
I’ve said for a while that I thought FC Dallas could hold on to their open DP slot until the summer window. They’re kind of in a ‘damn if they do, damn if they don’t’ mode with that slot.
The club has had months to find a new DP for the 2026 season, and holding off on signing one until the summer window could be tough if they were to lose Petar Musa following the World Cup (that assumes he makes and appears in the World Cup with Croatia).
There is a preseason match this weekend at the stadium, I hope to dig into that a bit more with the club.
