Gabriel Torres won't have to wait long before he's on the field in Colorado burgundy.
The Colorado Rapids' newest forward arrived in Denver on Thursday afternoon following almost a day of travel, which started in his native Panama on Wednesday night and included layovers in Miami, Fla. and Houston, Tex.
From the airport he was taken directly to a medical center to complete a physical before arriving at Dick's Sporting Goods Park to finalize details of his contract with the club.
On Friday morning he was back at the stadium, ready to take part in his first training session with his new teammates.
"I'm very happy with the great reception that the team has given me - both the players and the coaching staff," Torres told ColoradoRapids.com after Friday's practice. "I'm anxious to start playing, now."
Torres, who selected jersey #30 among the available numbers, will need to wait for his P-1 visa to arrive before he's eligible to play in first-team games. However, he is eligible to play in Reserve League matches and could make his first appearance for the Reserves on Monday when the team plays Chivas USA in Carson, Calif.
"I'm on the traveling list," Torres confirmed. "I'm happy to be going with the team to be able to integrate myself with the group even more."
The entire team will depart for Los Angeles on Saturday after a morning workout. The first-team match is on Sunday at the newly named StubHub Center at 9 p.m. MT (live on Altitude TV).
It's been nearly three weeks since Torres played for Panama in the CONCACAF Gold Cup Final agaist the United States, but he doesn't feel he's lost much ground fitness-wise.
"I felt good," he said of the workout. "I'll keep working and waiting for the coach to tell me when he needs me."
Rapids coach Oscar Pareja told ColoradoRapids.com that he's hopeful Torres receives his visa ahead of the team's next match, which is on August 17 at home against the Vancouver Whitecaps.
Colorado Rapids kit man Brandy Lay provided the first image of Torres' Rapids alternate jersey:
