Atlanta United announced Tuesday that they have loaned forward Erik Lopez to Club Atletico Banfield of Argentina’s top division.
The loan agreement keeps Lopez with Banfield until the end of June, but it comes with an option to extend his stay there until the end of the calendar year. Atlanta United still retain Lopez’s rights beyond the 2022 Major League Soccer season.
Lopez, 20, had been in talks to join Banfield since January, according to multiple reports.
Atlanta originally acquired Lopez in 2020 on-loan from Paraguayan side Olimpia and assigned the forward to its second team.
Last January, Lopez joined Atlanta’s first team on a permanent transfer. In the 2021 MLS season, Lopez logged more than 860 minutes for the Five Stripes across 18 appearances. He netted one goal, in a 2-2 draw with Nashville.
Lopez has represented Paraguay on the international stage, earning two caps with its U-23 side.
Banfield’s schedule began this month with the Copa de Liga Professional. The Argentine Primera Division league season will run from June to October.
Atlanta has five forwards on its roster for this season, led by former Golden Boot winner Josef Martinez. The club signed Dom Dwyer on Tuesday. He joins Luiz Araujo and youngsters Jackson Conway and Machop Chol.
–Field Level Media