Meet the New Guys - Artur
(image via Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports)
Previous Club: Columbus Crew
Acquired by: Trade, in exchange for $300,000 in General Allocation Money, contract through the 2023 season
Position: Midfielder
Who is Artur?
Artur, whose full name is Jose Artur de Lima Junior, was born in Brumado, Bahia, Brazil. Artur moved through the youth ranks of Bahia, Juventus-SC, and Sao Paulo during his early development. He eventually broke through to the first team with Sao Paulo in 2016. He made his professional debut in the summer of that year against Flamengo with the match ending a 2-2 draw. However, his minutes were limited the rest of his tenure with the Paulista Tricolour. Major League Soccer came knocking, after a preseason match between Sao Paulo and the Columbus Crew, in which after a good performance by Artur, the Crew signed him to a loan deal for the 2017 season.
The Brazilian spent the last 6 season with the Columbus Crew. Artur appeared in 138 regular season matches and 10 playoff games for the Crew. He also featured in a few U.S. Open Cup games, as well as in the 2021 CONCACAF Champions League, where the Crew were eliminated in the quarterfinals to the eventual tournament winners, Rayados de Monterrey. Artur won the 2020 MLS Cup with the Crew during his time in Columbus.
Unfortunately for Artur, he dealt with a lingering hernia issue that saw him have not one, but two surgeries that limited his 2021 season to only 6 games. However, last season Artur was able to see more minutes with Columbus, starting in 20 out of 24 games that he appeared in and totaling 1,649 minutes of play.
What Does Artur Bring to Houston?
General manager Pat Onstad has mentioned that the team would likely be built around Coco Carrasquilla and Hector Herrera, and that is what this offseason has been all about. Knowing that the center of the field would feature three midfielders, two of them being Coco and Hector, whose attributes lack defensive skills, the club looked to find cover for them. Matias Vera was the holding midfielder in previous years and did a great job of linking the defense to the attack. However, he lacked the physical presence to impose himself over the opposition. That trait is something that Artur will bring to Houston. Bring the nasty, right? That’s what Ben Olsen said in his introductory press conference. Artur is a strong, aggressive to the ball player who can distribute the ball to the creative players like Herrera and Carrasquilla. The additions of Ivan Franco and Amine Bassi should allow Artur to open the field and move the ball forward during transitions. The key for Artur, is staying healthy, hoping that the nagging injuries don’t make a comeback and hinder his playing time with the Dynamo.
Here are Artur’s stats thanks to fbref.com:
His stats compare to players like Aidan Morris, Guido Pizarro, and Brandt Bronico to name a few. Check their site for a complete scouting report.
