El Pais: Colombian Striker Andrés Ramiro Escobar To Union Or Timbers By Friday

Colombian newspaper El Pais reported today that striker Andrés Ramiro Escobar is set to have his future decided by the “start of business on Friday.” The soon-to-be-20-year-old (his birthday is today) will go to either the Portland Timbers or Philadelphia Union, according to the report.

Escobar is currently with Deportivo Cali in the Colombian top league, Categoría Primera A. After impressing with Cali since debuting with the team in December of 2010, the young Colombian forward has found himself immersed in rumors for a departure, including being linked to Benfica in Portugal in January of 2011.

‘Manga’, his nickname in Colombia, is the newest in the long line of Colombian players to be linked to the Union since Diego Gutierrez was brought into the team’s Front Office. Already sporting Colombian players Faryd Mondragon, Roger Torres, Carlos Valdes and Juan Diego Gonzalez, the Union were thrown around as possibilities for almost any Colombian player linked at all to MLS during the offseason.

In 26 games professionally, Escobar has scored three goals.