The need to reinforce the defensive midfield is imperative for the Portland Timbers with the acquisition of international midfielder Felipe Carballo on loan from Brazilian side Serie A Gremio for the remainder of the 2025 season.

Carballo will occupy a Designated Player spot in the team, pending receipt of his Interantional Transfer Certificate (ITC) and P-1 visa. Portland acquired Carballo’s rights by selecting him off waivers after his recent loan with the New York Red Bulls expired. The Timbers have the option to purchase at the end of Carballo’s loan.

“Felipe provides us with immediate experience and quality,” Timbers General Manager Ned Grabavoy shared. “He will be a welcomed addition to our midfield group as we continue aiming to finish the season strong. We look forward to integrating him into the group quickly and believe he can play an important role this season.”

“Felipe provides us with immediate experience and quality,” Timbers General Manager Ned Grabavoy shared. “He will be a welcome addition to our midfield group as we continue aiming to finish the season strong. We look forward to integrating him into the group quickly and believe he can play an important role this season.”

Carballo, 28, joins Portland after spending the last two seasons with the New York Red Bulls in Major League Soccer. With the Red Bulls, the midfielder recorded two goals and two assists in 27 MLS regular-season and postseason appearances, logging 1,607 minutes played. Notably, the 28-year-old provided two goals in three matches for RBNY in the 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs, helping lead them to the 2024 MLS Cup final.

“We are pleased to add Felipe to the roster. He’s a player we’ve watched closely since he arrived in MLS and were impressed by the quality he demonstrated for the New York Red Bulls in their MLS Cup run,” said Timbers Head Coach Phil Neville. “Felipe’s leadership and football acumen complement our current group of midfielders, and we expect him to make an immediate impact on the field for us.”

Before his time in MLS, Carballo registered over 3,400 minutes with Brazilian Serie A side Grêmio, where he recorded two goals and an assist in 54 matches played. A native of Montevideo, Uruguay, Carballo began his career with local top-flight Club Nacional, where he delivered 24 goals and 12 assists in 178 appearances.

Internationally, Carballo has earned seven caps for the Uruguay National Team, making his debut for La Celeste in a friendly match against Japan on March 24, 2023. Notably, he appeared in three World Cup Qualifying matches in 2023, helping Uruguay secure wins against Chile and Bolivia.

Source: Portland Timbers Communications