OAKLAND, Calif. – Oakland Roots SC announced on Thursday the club had signed Colombian forward Anuar José Peláez Paba ahead of the 2023 USL Championship Season. The transaction is pending league and federation approval.

The 30-year-old Peláez Paba most recently featured for CD Hermanos Colmenarez in Venezuela, where he recorded 15 goals in 47 appearances and 2,325 minutes of action across the past two seasons in the country’s top division.  

“Anuar has been a target of ours since we first scouted him,” said Roots SC Director of Player Personnel Nana Attakora. “He offers us pace and goals up front and will cause problems for USL defenders all over the league."

Peláez was born in La Guajira, Colombia and was the youngest of five brothers including Andres Peláez, a professional goalkeeper who played for Cúcuta, Unión Magdalena and Junior de Barranquilla.