FC Dallas acquired goalkeeper Daniel from the San Jose Earthquakes on Wednesday, bringing in an experienced MLS starter for the second half of the season. The price is up to $1 million in general allocation money: $300,000 in 2026, $400,000 in 2027 and up to $300,000 more tied to performance.
The roster fit is clean. Daniel holds a U.S. green card, so he takes a senior roster spot rather than an international slot, and chief soccer officer André Zanotta pointed to his league experience and the competition he brings to the goalkeeping group as the reasons for the move.
The recent form backs it up. Daniel spent three seasons with San Jose, making 77 regular-season appearances from 2023 through 2026. This year he started 15 matches and matched his career high with five shutouts. In his first MLS season in 2023, he ranked second among goalkeepers with at least 1,800 minutes in saves per 90 minutes, at 3.88.
His career started in Brazil. Daniel made 83 appearances for Sport Club Internacional from 2017 to 2022, keeping 37 clean sheets, after coming up through the youth academy at União Rondonópolis.
At 32, the Brazilian arrives as a proven option for a club in the middle of a playoff race.
