Tuna Fisher: Liberman Torres Lands In Ecuador

If your eyebrows raised at the headline, don’t fret: it just means former Atletico Ottawa loanee Liberman Torres has put pen to paper on a deal with Manta Futbol Club in his native Ecuador.

The Tuna Fishermen – as they are known – just recruited the defensive midfielder as they prepare for top-flight action following their promotion from Ecuador’s second division.

Torres spent most of last year on Canadian soil, though it took some time for the move to ultimately take place: first announced in February, it then took four months for Liberman Torres to arrive. He entered as a highly-touted prospect from the Villareal reserves in Spain, but found himself off to a somewhat slow start in the Canadian Premier League.

By the end of his loan, the defensive midfielder made sixteen appearances for Atletico Ottawa under Carlos Gonzalez, though he largely featured off the bench and only tallied 474 minutes of action. He did enjoy some highs, scoring a goal in a last-gasp win over Forge FC and featuring in a playoff match, but also received a low through a sending off against York United in his last regular season appearance.

The Ecuadorian midfielder now returns to his native country after three years on contract with La Liga’s Villareal. He featured four times for the Spanish side’s reserve ranks, having also undergone a loan to fourth-tier side Recreativo de Huelva. Before that, he developed in Ecuador through Independiente del Valle, featuring once for the first team before he caught Villarreal’s eye with some sharp performances in the U-20 Copa Libertadores three years ago.

With his Spanish stint now over – and his Canadian one more distantly wrapped – it’ll be interesting to see how Liberman Torres progresses through his career. At 23, he’s still got plenty of road left ahead of him, though it’s fair to say his time in Canada came and went without significant note.

Header Image Photo Credit: Beau Chevalier