Minnesota United starting striker Luis Amarilla hasn't played a game since he was a second-half substitute Sept. 2 at Houston and won't do so again this season now that he's undergoing ankle surgery this week.
Will he play again for the Loons? They obtained him on loan this season from an Argentina club and have the option to buy his rights at season's end, which is over sooner than he expected because of that lasting injury.
He started five of seven games he played and scored twice, one goal each in a pair of season-opening victories at Portland and San Jose way back in March.
"We certainly saw enough of him at the beginning to think we found somebody," Loons coach Adrian Heath said. "We thought he fit the bill what we were looking for: He's younger. He's full of life and energy. He's lively in the box. That's what we'd been looking for."
With Amarilla, 25, out injured, the Loons have struggled to get production from their strikers who have battled injury or been traded. Mason Toye was dealt to Montreal after he requested a trade, Aaron Schoenfeld is back from injury and Kei Kamara was acquired from Colorado by trade in September.
Heath searched for another striker who'd be a long-term play before the current transfer window closed last week.
"Obviously, it has been frustrating for the boy and frustrating for us, but we will certainly evaluate it at the end of the season when Luis has had his operation," Heath said. "He should be fit hopefully when we start preseason next year. We'll speak to the appropriate people and more important speak to the boy. He has indicated he has really enjoyed it here and would like to stay."
Ironman out
The Loons played on against Chicago Fire FC without center-back Michael Boxall, who until Wednesday had played all 19 regular-season games and all 1,710 minutes.
