ORLANDO, Fla. — Orlando City SC has acquired 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup champion Nicholas “Niko” Gioacchini from Stade Malherbe Caen of France’s Ligue 2, the team announced Wednesday. 

Pending receipt of his international clearance transfer, the winger/forward joins the team with 2-1/2 years remaining on his contract, the Lions said. There is a club option for 2025.

The 21-year-old has 88 appearances, with 12 goals and four assists across all competitions since beginning his professional career. Gioacchini is a product of Paris FC’s youth academy system. He joined SM Caen ahead of its 2019 Ligue 2 season and spent the 2021-22 on loan at Montpellier HSC in Ligue 1.

“Niko is an exciting young player that has a great ability to break lines and has a keen eye for goal,” Executive Vice President of Soccer Operations and General Manager Luiz Muzzi said. “He’s begun to work his way into the national team pool already, and we look forward to him furthering his young career with us here in Orlando.”

Gioacchini is a native of Kansas City, Mo., and made his senior debut on the U.S. Men's National Team on Nov. 12, 2020, in a scoreless draw against Wales. He has since registered eight caps, scoring three goals and providing two assists for the United States, including five appearances, one goal and one assist in the Gold Cup.

“[Orlando is] a place where I felt at home, a Club with a history of being very family-like, and the fans…the fans, the stadium, it’s a place where there’s a lot of energy and that’s for sure a part of the reason I decided to come,” Gioacchini said. “[Playing in MLS is] one of the parts I’m most excited about. Coming home, that feeling of coming back to my home country and getting the experience to play against the rising MLS and being a part of it. That’s a great feeling.”