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According to American Soccer Now Writer Brian Sciaretta, Portland Timber Eryk Williamson is headed to the Azores archipelago in Portugal, where he will play on loan for C.D. Santa Clara, a club promoted back to the Primeira Liga after fifteen years fighting to return to the top division.
I am hearing Portland Timbers midfielder and 2017 US U-20 midfielder Eryk Williamson will be going on loan to newly promoted Santa Clara of the Portuguese top flight. The club is based in the Azores
— Brian Sciaretta (@BrianSciaretta) August 22, 2018
Williamson joined the club in January after Timbers General Manager and President of Soccer Gavin Wilkinson traded DC United for his homegrown rights. A childhood soccer mate of Jeremy Ebobisse, Williamson joined him in primarily starting for Timber 2, the USL squad, where he appeared 15 times. He was also on the bench for the Timbers first team 12 times this summer.
Williamson has impressed both on and off the ball at the USL level. Playing as a midfielder in his 15 appearances, he has scored three times, passed at an 84.1% success rate, made 14 clearances, 23 interceptions, and successfully tackled 80% of the time.
In the 2017 CONCACAF U-20 Championship, Williamson gained attention for this golazo against El Salvador. Winning 2-1, he assisted in the first goal, as well.
Timbers fans can only hope that he will return to the team stronger than ever after his loan is finished. However, he mustn’t be blamed if he decides to stay after he sees this vista not far from Ponta Delgada, C.D. Santa Clara’s hometown.