Wait, Darren Mattocks is Actually Coming to the Portland Timbers?

Fans of the Portland Timbers must have felt like they were suffering from deja vu earlier this week as the side was once again linked to Jamaican forward and former Akron Zip under Caleb Porter, Darren Mattocks. Now, however, it seems that that rumor might just be true after all.

Jamaican website RJR News reported that Mattocks, 25, had been traded from the Vancouver Whitecaps to the Timbers earlier this week, and just yesterday Marc Weber of the Province confirmed the story, claiming that the Whitecaps are expected to receive allocation money in return for the streaky striker.

Mattocks, the Whitecaps No. 2 overall draft pick in 2012, has been regularly linked to the Timbers since Porter took over back in 2013. The move has likely materialized now that Mattocks has fallen to third on the Vancouver depth chart at striker behind Octavio Rivero and new arrival Masato Kudo, despite being on the books with a significant salary.

For the Timbers, Mattocks could provide an additional option at striker behind Fanendo Adi, competing with Jack McInerney for substitute and CONCACAF Champions League minutes in 2016. Moreover, although it is not his primary position, Mattocks could add to the Timbers' depth on the wing as well, playing a similar second-striker style to Lucas Melano when lined up out on the wing.

A former teammate of Darlington Nagbe and Zarek Valentin at Akron, Mattocks was a terror in the college ranks, scoring 39 goals in 47 games with the Zips. In the pros, Mattocks was much less prodigious, scoring 20 goals in 96 games -- about half of which were starts -- or about 0.36 goals per 90 minutes played. On the international level, Mattocks has scored twelve goals in 31 games for Jamaica. Other Reggae Boyz with the Timbers currently include Alvas Powell, Jermaine Taylor, Michael Seaton, Neco Brett, and T2's Rennico Clarke.