ST. PETERSBURG, FL – The Tampa Bay Rowdies announced on Thursday the addition of forward and El Salvador international Joshua Pérez for the remainder of the 2023 season. Pérez will be available for selection starting with Tampa Bay’s road match versus FC Tulsa on Friday night.
Pérez joins the Rowdies after a recent stint with Italian side Montevarchi Calcio Aquila 1902, where he recorded two goals in 11 appearances in Serie C. Prior to that, the 25-year-old attacker was part of Miami FC’s squad at the end of the 2021 season and all of 2022, notching five goals and four assists in 35 USL Championship appearances.
“We’re delighted to get Josh in,” said Rowdies Head Coach Nicky Law. “We needed probably one more body in that attacking area and he’s a player of really good quality. He’s been in the league with Miami, and he did really well there. To get someone of his quality I think is a huge boost for us. We spoke to quite a lot of people that have played with him and worked with him and they couldn’t speak highly enough of him as a person. We’re hopeful he’ll be a key piece in helping us get where we want to be at the end of the season.”
Born in California, Pérez joined the academy of Serie A’s Fiorentina at the age of 16 before signing a professional contract with the club two years later. After spending the 2016 season with Fiorentina, Pérez went on loan to Serie C’s Livorno, featuring in 23 league matches.
In 2018, Pérez moved closer to home to sign with Major League Soccer’s Los Angeles FC. During his two years with LAFC, Pérez made 15 appearances for the MLS side while also earning two appearances in the USL Championship while on loan to Phoenix Rising FC. Following LAFC, returned to Europe to join UD Ibiza for a successful campaign in which he helped the club earn its first promotion into the second division of Spanish football.
“It’s a good atmosphere and a great facility here in Tampa Bay,” said Pérez. “I’m grateful to have the chance to integrate into a team with so much talent and one that is doing so well at this point in the season. I’m happy to be back in the U.S. at a great club and in a great city. I want to help the team in any way I can with what I bring to the field. I hope to help us get a good run going into the playoffs.”
A longtime U.S. youth international, Pérez made the switch to El Salvador when he accepted an invitation to join the Salvadoran U23s in 2021. Later that year, Perez scored in his debut for El Salvador’s senior national team. Pérez’s uncle Hugo Pérez is the current head coach of the Salvadoran national team and played for the original Rowdies in the early 1980s.
