Carballo joins Portland on loan from Brazilian club Grêmio for remainder of 2025 season with option to purchase
PORTLAND, Ore. – The Portland Timbers have signed Uruguayan international midfielder Felipe Carballo on loan from Brazilian Serie A side Grêmio for the remainder of the 2025 season, the club announced today. Carballo will occupy a Designated Player spot on the roster, pending receipt of his International Transfer Certificate (ITC) and P-1 visa.
Portland acquired Carballo’s rights by selecting him off waivers after his recent loan with the New York Red Bulls expired. The Timbers have the option to purchase at the end of Carballo’s loan.
“Felipe provides us with immediate experience and quality,” Timbers General Manager Ned Grabavoy shared. “He will be a welcomed addition to our midfield group as we continue aiming to finish the season strong. We look forward to integrating him into the group quickly and believe he can play an important role this season.”
Carballo, 28, joins Portland after spending the last two seasons with the New York Red Bulls in Major League Soccer. With the Red Bulls, the midfielder recorded two goals and two assists in 27 MLS regular season and postseason appearances, logging 1,607 minutes played. Notably, the 28-year-old provided two goals in three matches for RBNY in the 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs, helping lead them to the 2024 MLS Cup final.
“We are really pleased to add Felipe to the roster. He’s a player we’ve watched closely since his arrival in MLS and were impressed by the quality he demonstrated for the New York Red Bulls in their MLS Cup run,” said Timbers Head Coach Phil Neville. “Felipe’s leadership and football acumen complements our current group of midfielders, and we expect him to make an immediate impact on the field for us.”
Prior to his time in MLS, Carballo registered over 3,400 minutes with Brazilian Serie A side Grêmio, where he recorded two goals and an assist in 54 matches played. A native of Montevideo, Uruguay, Carballo began his career with local top-flight Club Nacional where he delivered 24 goals and 12 assists in 178 appearances.
Internationally, Carballo has earned seven caps for the Uruguay National Team, making his debut for La Celeste in a friendly match against Japan on March 24, 2023. Notably, he appeared in three World Cup Qualifying matches in 2023, helping Uruguay secure wins against Chile and Bolivia.
Transaction: Portland Timbers sign midfielder Felipe Carballo on loan from Brazilian Serie A side Grêmio for the remainder of the 2025 season with the option to purchase. Carballo will occupy a Designated Player spot on the roster, pending receipt of his International Transfer Certificate (ITC) and P-1 visa.
Felipe Carballo
Full name: Felipe Carballo
Pronunciation: car-BAH-sho or car-BYE-yoh
Position: Midfielder
Height: 5-8
Date of Birth: October 4, 1996
Age: 28
Birthplace: Montevideo, Uruguay
Citizenship: Uruguay
Last Club: New York Red Bulls/Grêmio
