TRANSFER TRACKER STATUS: Signing
Atlanta United have acquired Uruguayan winger Manuel Castro on loan from Argentine side Estudiantes, the club announced Wednesday. The loan is through June, but Atlanta have the option to extend through the end of the season.
Castro, 24, joined Estudiantes last January and has made 27 appearances with the club, scoring three goals. He came to Argentina via his boyhood club Montevideo Wanderers, where he had 17 goals and 13 assists across 87 appearances.
“Manuel is a versatile winger with valuable experience in both the Argentine and Uruguayan first divisions and he’ll add solid competition to our attack,” Atlant VP and technical director Carlos Bocanegra said in a club statement. “His work rate and willingness to run both ways fits in with our dynamic style of play. We look forward to welcoming him to Atlanta and into our team.”
Castro has made the majority of his appearances on the right flank, a patch of turf often roamed by former fan favorite Hector Villalba, who was transferred to Club Libertad in his native Paraguay at the end of January.
Unlike Villalba, however, Castro has also featured across the pitch during his career thus far. He joins right-sided options on the squad including Brooks Lennon and Jake Mulraney.
Castro already has Copa Libertadores experience and could add Concacaf Champions League games to that CV. Atlanta open their season on Tuesday against Motagua in the round of 16 of that competition.
