PORTLAND, Ore. – The Portland Timbers today announced the signing of defender Ismaila “Ish” Jome to a one-year contract with a club option for an additional year and he will occupy a senior reserve spot on the roster. Additionally, the club has announced it has signed midfielder Jorge Gonzalez to a one-year contract with a club option for an additional year and will loan him to Louisville City FC for the 2021 USL Championship campaign.
Jome, 26, has been a professional for five seasons since playing collegiate soccer at UC Santa Barbara (2013-15), and played five matches for the Portland Timbers U23s in 2015 in the Premier Development League. Jome signed his first pro contract with Minnesota United FC in 2016, scoring one goal in nine games played (5 starts) during the 2016 NASL regular season. Jome will occupy a senior reserve spot on the Timbers roster.
The Banjul, Gambia, native made 12 appearances (7 starts) for Minnesota in their inaugural season in MLS in 2017. During the 2018 USL Championship campaign, Jome recorded two assists in 22 appearances across all competitions for Nashville SC. In his most prolific season as a professional, Jome a career-high four goals and seven assists in 34 games played for USL Championship side Colorado Switchbacks FC in the 2019 regular season. Last year, Jome notched two goals and two assists in 16 appearances for Austin Bold FC.
In his first season as a professional, Gonzalez, 22, signed with Portland Timbers 2 and tallied eight goals and one assist in 10 appearances (10 starts) during the 2020 USL Championship regular season. In five games played during the month of September, Gonzalez registered six goals and one assist for T2 in USL Championship league play. The Valencia, Spain, native was selected by Los Angeles FC with the No. 76 overall pick in the third round of the 2020 MLS SuperDraft. Gonzalez played three collegiate seasons at SIU Edwardsville (2017-19), where he tallied 22 goals and seven assists in 50 matches played (49 starts). The midfielder was named the Mid-American Conference Player of the Year and led the conference in goals scored (nine).
Transaction: Portland Timbers sign defender Ismaila Jome to a one-year contract with a club option for an additional year on April 2, 2021. Additionally, the club has announced it has signed midfielder Jorge Gonzalez to a one-year contract with a club option for an additional year and will loan him to Louisville City FC for the 2021 USL Championship campaign.
Ismaila “Ish” Jome
Pronunciation: joehm (rhymes with “home”)
Position: Defender
Height: 6-1
Weight: 190
Born: Nov. 4, 1994, in Banjul, The Gambia.
College: UC Santa Barbara
Citizenship: The Gambia
Acquired: Signed to a one-year contract with a club option for an additional year on April 2, 2021
Jorge Gonzalez
Position: Midfielder
Height: 5-11
Weight: 175
Born: Valencia, Spain
College: SIU Edwardsville
Citizenship: Spain
Acquired: Signed to a one-year contract with a club option for an additional year on April 2, 2021
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