Portland Timbers recruit Darlington Nagbe admitted he was delighted to have remained in the USA.

The 20-year old was taken by the expansion franchise at number two in the 2011 MLS SuperDraft last week after Vancouver Whitecaps surprisingly took Omar Salgado with pick one.

The decision was the exact one that the Akron Zips star wanted as it meant he and his Liberian parents could stay in the US and not have to worry about immigrating once again.

"They (Whitecaps) knew it was a preference of mine, growing up in the United States," Nagbe said on ESPN2. "Maybe that played a role in it, maybe it didn't.

"I'm real excited and I can't wait. Portland is a great city and John Spencer is a real good coach."