Portland Timbers loan Lucas Melano to Atletico Belgrano

The Portland Timbers announced Monday the club has loaned Argentine winger Lucas Melano back to his hometown club Atletico Belgrano in a deal that runs until the end of the 2017 calendar year.

Melano, 23, has made 44 regular-season appearances for the club, scoring four times and recording eight assists. However, he hasn’t established himself as an out-and-out starter and the Timbers are hoping a return home will prove beneficial to his football and his form.

“In loaning Lucas to Belgrano, we are looking to place him in a situation that can help him succeed,” Timbers general manager Gavin Wilkinson said in a club-issued statement.

“There is always a transitional risk with any foreign player, and that is magnified with young players. The 2016 season was difficult for Lucas, however we believe he is a talented player, and he was a crucial contributor to the Timbers winning MLS Cup in 2015.

“We expect him to regain his form at his home team in Belgrano, and we wish him all the best.”

Melano came through Belgrano’s youth ranks before joining the senior team in 2011, where he’s gone on to score seven goals over two seasons. He was then transferred to Lanus in 2013 before making his MLS move in 2015.