Ivan Angulo will remain with Orlando City at least through the 2023 season, the Orlando Soccer Journal has learned. 

Orlando City extended Angulo’s loan from Brazilian club Palmeiras which was due to expire in July. There was an option to extend the loan for an additional six months, which the Lions will be exercising.  

“Every time we bring players in the middle of the year it’s always interesting, it’s always dangerous because it’s a difficult league to come in and adapt right away,” Orlando City EVP of soccer operations Luiz Muzzi told the OSJ recently on Angulo. “I think Ivan and Wilder Cartagena adapted really well. They showed right away. It helps that we have a lot of South American guys that help them out in getting to know the city and feeling part of the group. But it’s a credit to them, and I think that he put his mind into it just like Wilder as well, and they’re very important pieces of this team right now.” 

Angulo, 24, joined Orlando last July during the league’s secondary transfer window through a one-year loan with an option to extend for an additional six from Palmeiras. 

Wilder Cartagena was the other player the Lions brought in last summer through a six-month loan – his option to extend through the 2023 season was exercised during the 2022/2023 offseason. 

Angulo has been a regular starter for Orlando this season, appearing 16 times in the starting lineup out of 18 games played in 2023. 

The Colombian winger has three goals and three assists so far this season. 

The MLS secondary transfer window opens July 5 and runs through Aug. 2 but according to Muzzi, the team isn’t planning to be active this summer with the team opting to develop the chemistry within the first team following an offseason overhaul of the roster. 

“I don’t think we’re gonna be active. We have a very good group of players. We brought a lot of players at the beginning of the season, and they need to gel,” Muzzi told the OSJ earlier this month. 

Muzzi also hinted at pushing more players from Orlando City B through short-term agreements seen recently with Alejandro Granados, Javier Otero, and Juninho joining the first team after standout performances in MLS Next Pro.

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