Franco Escobar the latest Houston Dynamo signing with championship pedigree

The Houston Dynamo appears to be going all-in on players named "Franco" this offseason.

Less than a week after announcing Paraguayan playmaker Ivan Franco as its newest transfer signing, the club has added MLS veteran right back Franco Escobar on a free-agent deal.

More important than the same name, Dynamo general manager Pat Onstad says, is the same mentality both players bring: A championship one.

“Franco is a winner in our league,” Onstad said of bringing in Escobar in a team statement. “Since coming to MLS in 2018, he has won every major domestic trophy available, including two MLS Cups, a Supporters’ Shield, Campeones Cup, and the U.S. Open Cup. He will strengthen our backline and provide valuable experience to our locker room. We are thrilled that Franco chose Houston in the next step in his career.”

Escobar has signed a two-year deal with a club option for 2025, the Dynamo revealed. His annual salary was not disclosed but the player is listed as earning $550,008 in 2022 in the MLS Players Association salary guide.

The right-back joins the Dynamo after winning the 2022 MLS Cup and Supporters’ Shield with Los Angeles Football Club. It was his only season with the Black & Gold after joining on a trade from Atlanta United in December 2021. At Atlanta, Escobar helped the club to the 2018 MLS Cup and the 2019 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup on top of the MLS vs. Liga MX contested Campeones Cup.

"Very happy to be able to come here, to Houston. I want to send a very big greeting to the fans," Escobar said in an initial video through the team's social channels. "We hope for your support this year and that things turn out well for the whole team and for all the fans."

"It's a new project, very interesting," Escobar said in another video released later in the day. "That's also why I'm here because I was very interested after speaking with Pat and Ben, about the project and what they want for Houston, so I got involved right at the start on that objective. I'm going to try to contribute my experience with that of the other players for things to go well.

Franco Escobar: Being alone has been the hardest thing for me

The Rosario, Argentina native immigrated to Major League Soccer from Newell’s Old Boys prior to the 2018 season. He has played in 82 MLS regular season matches over four seasons, returning to Newell's on-loan during the 2021 season, plus an additional nine MLS Cup Playoff appearances.

Escobar became a permanent resident with Atlanta and will not occupy an international spot. The player participated in his first training with the team on Thursday morning following the announcement of his acquisition.

Straight into the starting XI?

Based on the player's experience, Escobar is the favorite to win the starting role at right back. That decision will of course be up to head coach Ben Olsen as Griffin Dorsey, who started 19 matches and played 1,644 minutes in 2022, is also on the roster.

Depth at the position was an area of need for the club. The club declined to renew the likes of Zeca and Zarek Valentin in the offseason. At 27, Escobar appears to be an instant upgrade and arguably the best player the club has had at that position in recent memory.

Building a "winning culture"

Escobar is the fifth signing to the Dynamo's first team this offseason and there's an underlying similarity between all of them. All five players have won a league title at one of their previous clubs: Artur (MLS Cup 2020), Andrew Tarbell (MLS Cup 2020), Brad Smith (MLS Cup 2019), Ivan Franco (Paraguay Apertura season 2021 and 2022), and Franco Escobar (MLS Cup 2018 and 2022). 

The club also signed Ifunanyachi Achara (2019 NCAA National Champion) and drafted Isaiah Reid (2021 NCAA National Champion). Technical Director Asher Mendelsohn has expressed this attribute as one that will help to "build a winning culture."