ATLANTA —Atlanta United today announced it has loaned forward Erik López to Club Atlético Banfield of the Argentine Primera División until the end of June with an option to extend the loan through the end of the calendar year. Atlanta United retains López’s contract rights beyond this season.
Banfield’s schedule begins in February when they compete in the Copa de Liga Professional. The Argentine domestic cup competition will run until the end of May. The Argentine Primera Division league season will run from June to October.
López joined ATL UTD 2 on loan from Paraguayan side Olimpia in July 2020. The following January, López joined Atlanta United’s first team on a permanent transfer. The forward made 18 appearances including 10 starts last season. He scored his first MLS goal on May 29 against Nashville. López also made two starts for Atlanta in Concacaf Champions League action.
Prior to joining Atlanta, López had spent his entire career at Olimpia. He started in the youth ranks and made his senior team debut in 2019. López has also represented Paraguay at the U-23 level, most recently in Olympic Qualifying for the 2021 Tokyo games.
Transaction: Atlanta United loans Erik López to Club Atlético Banfield until the end of June with an option to extend until the end of calendar year on February 22, 2022.
2022 Atlanta United roster (as of Feb. 22, 2022)
Goalkeepers (4): Dylan Castanheira, Justin Garces, Brad Guzan, Bobby Shuttleworth
Defenders (11): Mikey Ambrose, George Campbell, Alex De John, Alan Franco, Andrew Gutman, Ronald Hernández, Brooks Lennon, Efrain Morales, Miles Robinson, Bryce Washington, Caleb Wiley
Midfielders (12): Thiago Almada, Osvaldo Alonso, Ezequiel Barco*, Jürgen Damm, Emerson Hyndman, Franco Ibarra, Marcelino Moreno, Jake Mulraney, Matheus Rossetto, Amar Sejdic, Santiago Sosa, Tyler Wolff
Forwards (6): Luiz Araújo, Machop Chol, Jackson Conway, Dom Dwyer, Erik López**, Josef Martínez
* - On Loan to Club Atlético River Plate
** - On Loan to Club Atlético Banfield
