UPDATED: Erik Lopez joins ATL UTD 2 on loan from Olimpia; will move to first team in 2021

UPDATE (7/18): Erik López has officially joined the club, but instead the deal will be an initial loan to ATL UTD 2 with the young forward moving to the first team in January 2021.

“We’re excited to add a quality young forward in Erik to our club,” Atlanta United Vice President and Technical Director Carlos Bocanegra said. “Although only 18 years old, he already has first team and international experience playing in Paraguay’s top division and in the Copa Libertadores. He is a versatile forward with great instincts and movement. He was highly sought after and we are pleased he chose to sign with our club. We look forward to watching him flourish in the coming years.”

After a flurry of rumors over recent weeks, Paraguayan reports say forward Erik Lopez has signed a contract with Atlanta United for four years, including a team option for a fifth. Details of the transfer value are yet to be confirmed.

In addition to these tweets, ABC Cardinal reports that Lopez is no longer under consideration by Olimpia manager Daniel Garnero, and that he’s been training on his own instead of with the team.

The 18-year-old player arrives from Paraguayan giants Olimpia, where the player made his breakthrough after completing his first season in top flight soccer. Last year, he made 15 starts in the 22-game Clausura that his team won by six points. He scored four goals in just over 1000 minnutes. Lopez then went on to feature twice for Paraguay’s U-23 team in CONMEBOL Olympic Qualifying in January, the last meaningful minutes he played in 2020.

He is expected be officially registered with the Five Stripes when the summer transfer window opens in August. The signing is yet to be confirmed by Atlanta United.