The Portland Timbers announced Wednesday that they have acquired Norwegian international Kristoffer Velde from Olympiacos FC of Greek Super League 1.
Velde, 25, arrives for a $5 million transfer fee, according to reports. The forward will occupy a Designated Player spot on the Timbers roster and is under contract through 2028 with an option for ‘29. He replaces Uruguay international forward Jonathan Rodriguez, whom the club lost to a season-ending knee injury in July.
The Haugesund, Norway, native joins a Portland attack led by All-Star midfielder David Da Costa and emerging 23-year-old winger Antony.
“We are excited to welcome Kristoffer Velde as the newest member of the Portland Timbers,” said general manager Ned Grabavoy. “It was a necessity in this transfer window to explore the market with the intent of adding a dangerous attacking threat, and Kristoffer gives us just that.
“His aggressive mindset to go at defenders and cause issues for opponents off the dribble should make our attack more balanced and powerful. We are eager for his debut in the green and gold.”
Velde joins Portland after spending the 2024-25 season with Olympiacos. He tallied six goals and two assists in 34 matches across all competitions, helping Olympiacos FC win the Super Ligue 1 Championship and the 2024-2025 Greek Cup.
Before playing for Olympiacos, Velde spent three seasons with top Polish side Lech Poznan (2022-2024), where he amassed 29 goals and 13 assists in 98 appearances and helped The Railwayman reach the 2021-2022 Polish Cup final and claim the 2021-2022 Ekstraklasa title.
“Velde is an exciting player with incredible determination, drive and self-belief,” Timbers head coach Phil Neville said. “His presence will spark our offense and implement a new level of creativity for the team. We believe he is going to be a major asset for us in our quest for success.”
–Field Level Media
