Atlanta United: Erik Lopez helps the present and future

Atlanta United are reportedly on the verge of signing forward Erik Lopez from Olimpia. The striker can help the Five Stripes in the present and the future.

It appears Atlanta United are going all-in on another exciting forward. After Josef Martinez suffered what was expected to be a season-ending knee injury in the opening win over Nashville SC, the Five Stripes are being linked with a move for Erik Lopez of Olimpia Asuncion in the upcoming summer transfer window.

Bruno Pont, a journalist from Paraguay, has been reporting the ongoing interest over the past few days. It appears Atlanta are very serious about a possible transfer, with a reported $5 million fee illustrating their willingness to invest. Olimpia, meanwhile, will only sell Lopez for the right offer.

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The 18-year-old Paraguayan has gotten off to a very good start in his home country’s top division. He scored four goals in 15 appearances during his first season with Olimpia’s first team. Olimpia is one of Paraguay’s top clubs and Lopez is one of their best young players. This past winter he also was involved with Paraguay’s U-23 team during the South American Olympic Games qualification tournament. He made three appearances during the competition.

There is much sense to this move. Martinez may not return to the pitch this season due to the ACL injury he suffered. He is a very reliable striker, one of the premier goalscorers in Major League Soccer. His absence will be hard to replace.

Lopez can provide a spark offensively for Atlanta that can alleviate the loss of Martinez for the rest of the 2020 campaign. He’s an up and coming talent who should be hungry to make a name for himself in a league that could be a springboard for bigger opportunities down the road for him.

But more than just being a stop-gap, however, Lopez will arrive in Atlanta for the future. At just 18, he is still in the beginning stages of his career. Atlanta would be able to secure a future talent for the seasons to come. After all, this is their m.o. They have excelled at signing young South American talent and providing them with a platform to show off their skills.

Most famously, Miguel Almiron got his start in professional football in Paraguay’s top flight before moving to Argentina and then to Atlanta. The signing of Almiron turned out to be a fantastic move by the club’s front office. He was a key player in the 2018 MLS Cup victory and then was sold to Newcastle United for enormous profit. Lopez could very well follow the same path.

Lopez, then, has the potential to be another massive signing by Atlanta that could lead to the introduction of another star in the making. He can help alleviate present problems while posing great potential for the future.