Lucas Hoyos has signed for Atlanta United on a free transfer, the club announced on Tuesday morning. The goalkeeper, who will join Atlanta from Newell’s Old Boys when his contract expires on December 31, has signed through the 2026 season with options through the 2027 and 2027-28 seasons.
Hoyos is in his second stint with Newell’s. But it’s been one marred by injury: outside of an appearance with the reserve team in October, he hasn’t played in a competitive match since tearing a ligament during a Nov. 26, 2024, match against Independiente. That will obviously inform any decision made by Tata Martino in terms of what playing time the 36-year-old sees, but he’ll at the very least challenge Jayden Hibbert for the No. 1 shirt in preseason.
“We’re pleased to sign Lucas and look forward to welcoming him to the club,” Atlanta United CSO Chris Henderson said in a statement. “He’s a goalkeeper with a lot of experience in South America and a leader of the backline who is familiar with Tata’s style of play. Lucas will bring competition and leadership to our young goalkeeping group as we continue to strengthen our roster this offseason.”
It’s the first major offseason signing for Atlanta as several other names have surfaced over the past few weeks.
Atlanta has been linked to San Lorenzo left-back Elías Báez, a likely U22 Initiative signing. Atlético Mineiro center-back Júnior Alonso, Miguel Almiron’s teammate on the Paraguayan men’s national team, is another name that has been connected to the club. Atlanta had reportedly opened talks with Talleres GK Guido Herrera, but that move is surely off the table after the Hoyos signing.
Be sure to bookmark our Atlanta United transfer tracker for the latest transfer news and rumors as they come in.
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[…] Lucas Hoyos signs for Atlanta United on a free transfer […]
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They have international slots available, and are likely going to open one or two more up if/when they find buyers for Alexei and Saba.
Must have some insider info for putting out a declarative statement like you are sure we are selling Miranchuk and Saba. We would be selling at a big loss if we were to sell them now.
If they can find a buyer for Miranchuk (even at a significant loss), then I think he is gone (there are some articles out there suggesting that Atlanta will use a buyout to get rid of him, but I don’t see that happening). Saba is a closer question, and probably gets sold only at breakeven or profit.
Did you not see the “if/when?”
Regardless, they are trying to move both. If they do, they have newly opened international slots available. If they don’t, they don’t have the money to spend their current international slots on players much higher than Hoyas tier.
A recently hurt, older, international-slot holding GK? Have to think this is strategic in building up GK corps because this isn’t necessarily a star signing, it’s a “get more people Tata knows on the roster to build around” more than anything it seems.
Hopefully he is an amazing goalie. Still think it is a waste of an international slot to be used on a goalie, especially if they can’t even win the starter job.
100% agree.
[…] Lucas Hoyos signs for Atlanta United on a free transfer […]