The Houston Dynamo have traded away goalkeeper Joe Willis to Nashville SC and acquired Portland Timbers defender Zarek Valentin.
Although no Houston players were chosen in Tuesday’s MLS expansion draft, a negotiation saw Nashville select Valentin and then trade him to Houston for Willis. The Dynamo can also receive an additional $75,000 in 2021 Targeted Allocation Money based on performance incentives in 2020.
Willis became part of the Dynamo in 2015 and solidified himself as a starter in late 2017 when the main goalie, Deric Tyler, was suspended over off-the-field issues. Willis went on to play a key role in Houston winning the 2018 Open Cup trophy.