Report: Could Attinella be the Portland Timbers New Keeper? [Updated]

Update: Fifty Five One is now reporting that the deal is “likely to be completed” and that the Timbers will be sending Minnesota the rights to Ibarra as part of a deal for Attinella.

According to Minnesota United site Fifty Five One, the Portland Timbers are pursuing former Real Salt Lake keeper Jeff Attinella to back up and compete with current No. 1 Jake Gleeson.

After several seasons spent behind Nick Rimando with RSL, Attinella has shown himself to be capable of stepping up when called upon, making 29 appearances over the last four years with the Utah side.

Attinella was scooped up by the Loons in the expansion draft after being left exposed by RSL, and has reportedly been in the Timbers’ crosshairs since.

The move makes sense for the Timbers as the side will need a solid back up keeper for Gleeson, who may yet be handed down a suspension for his DUII arrest in October and who has had a track record of missing matches due to injury prior to last season.

Just what the Timbers would send Minnesota’s way in exchange for Attinella remains unclear, but one potential asset the timbers could send east is the rights to Miguel Ibarra, the attacking midfielder who was drafted by the Timbers in 2012, but who did not sign with the team, instead playing two years with Minnesota before heading to Mexico to join Club Leon.