Bianchi: Rapids To Sign Panamanian Star Gabriel Torres As Designated Player

Colorado needs goals right now, and none of the current options they have appear to be up to snuff. For a while, it looked like the Rapids were going to wait it out and let their current youth movement sort it out among themselves, with guys like Deshorn Brown working to figure out their craft.

Well, apparently the Rapids are in a bit more of a hurry to get their team to the next level than that. It looks like, according to Chris Bianchi, the Rapids are preparing to sign young Panamanian star Gabriel Torres as the first Designated Player in the history of the organization.

#Rapids closing in on signing of 24-year-old Panamanian forward Gabriel Torres, per source.

— Chris Bianchi (@Rapids_News) July 25, 2013

The 24-year-old has made almost 40 appearances for his country since first being called up in 2005, and helped lead the Panamanians to a win over Mexico on Wednesday in order to push them through to the Gold Cup Final. He has scored five times during this Gold Cup campaign and was likely a hot commodity in the transfer market. The deal isn't official yet for the Rapids, but it's hard to believe that they would allow a player like this to slip through their fingers after not-so-subtly letting it slip that he was their latest transfer target.

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