Alberth Elis joins Houston Dynamo on loan as young designated player

Honduran strikerAlberth Elis will join the Houston Dynamo on a year-long loan from Monterrey of Liga MX, the club announced on Tuesday.

Elis, 20, joins the team as a young designated player, the second on the Dynamo alongside Colombian Mauro Manotas.

Houston hopes the striker can add pace and goals to its attack, with his versatility allowing him to play a variety of positions in the Dynamo's front line.

The Honduran international has three goals for the senior team, but failed to find regular playing time with Monterrey. Elis scored 25 goals in three seasons with Honduran club Olimpia before joining Monterrey.

"I have had the opportunity to follow Alberth for the past three years within CONCACAF tournaments, with the under-20 national team for Honduras, in the pre-Olympic tournament where he was the top scorer, and with his national team and his club team," Dynamo head coach Wilmer Cabrera said in a club release.

"He's a very fast, agile forward; and he can play on the left side, as a center forward or on the right side. We're bringing in a forward who's very young, but has a lot of talent, a lot of speed, and he's hungry for the possibility that he has in Houston and in MLS."

The deal will become official pending paperwork at the start of the MLS winter transfer window.