Erick "El Cubo" Torres
Former Chivas USA star, Erick "El Cubo" Torres, has agreed to sign with the Houston Dynamo of the MLS Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

The MLS’s Western Conference just got a whole lot better. The Houston Dynamo will be moving to the stacked conference in 2015 to make room for new franchises, New York City FC and Orlando City SC. In addition to the move in conference, the Dynamo got an early Christmas present in the form of Mexican national soccer star, Erick “El Cubo” Torres.

El Cubo was the MVP of the now defunct Chivas USA last season and was made available by all 20 teams for the 2015 season. The Dynamo were the only team willing to accept the odd term of Torres’ previous contract, and used their designated player clause to sign the El Tri star to a five-year deal.

The 21-year old was owned by Chivas USA’s parent club, Chivas Guadalajara which plays in Liga MX. Because Torres played so well in 2014 for Chivas USA, Guadalajara wanted him for the upcoming 2015 Liga MX Clasura season. The Dynamo had to agree to loan Torres for six months to Chivas Guadalajara as part of the terms of his new contract. Torres will re-join the team in the summer of next year in time for a second half push.

“I’m extremely excited to be joining the Houston Dynamo. It’s one of the premier clubs in the MLS and a place where I really wanted to sign,” said Torres in a statement on Wednesday. “I can’t wait to join my teammates in Houston and continue their success on the field.”

Torres is an MLS all star who brings his team leading 15 goals in 2014 to the Dynamo’s offense. Torres finished 7th in scoring last year in the entire league and is the highest scoring Mexican-born soccer player in MLS history. He scored his first ever goal for El Tri in October of this year against Panama.

“We are delighted to sign such a talented young player with the scope and potential to improve further,” said new Dynamo head coach Owen Coyle. “For me, he is an outstanding player who does the toughest thing in soccer with ease, and that is to score goals. I look forward to working with him and helping to make him even better.”

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