Athletico-PR targets Andrés Cubas from the Vancouver Whitecaps | OneFootball

Athletico remains interested in signing midfielder Andrés Cubas, from Vancouver Whitecaps. Sources linked to the Territorio MLS and Pitchtside USA confirmed that the Brazilian club made initial contacts. Still, any concrete progress will only take place after the MLS Cup final, this Saturday (6), when the Whitecaps face Lionel Messi's Inter Miami.

The salary of R$500 thousand is an obstacle

The most sensitive aspect of the transaction is the financial one. Cubas receives around R$ 500,000 a month in the MLS, an amount above the salary ceiling set by Athletico for reinforcements for the 2026 season.

With Vancouver Whitecaps experiencing its best phase in years — runner-up in the Concacaf Champions Cup and finalist in the MLS — the tendency is for Cubas and other players to receive a salary adjustment, making the transaction a bit more complex for the Brazilian market.

Conversations only go on after the final

According to sources in the MLS environment, Whitecaps does not intend to discuss moves before the decisive game. The athlete's staff confirms that no negotiations will be deepened before the end of the season.

Cubas is Jesper Sørensen's key player

Current Vancouver coach Jesper Sørensen sees Andrés Cubas as a central part of the tactical system. A starter in recent seasons, the steering wheel performs multiple functions.

Cubas is considered technically fundamental in the current cast, so moving him would ultimately require a player of similar caliber to arrive in Canada.

2026 Cup influences and weighs on Athletico

The proximity of the 2026 World Cup is another decisive factor. Cubas is consolidated in the Paraguayan national team

Staying in Vancouver also offers a special bonus: Vancouver will host the Cup, and playing in Canada is integrated into the World Cup environment, close to the national team's staff and with total visibility. Going to Brazil does not guarantee immediate success and could affect a player who is flying relatively high right now.

But there is one point that plays in favor of Athletico

Despite the obstacles, Athletico has a differential that pleases the player's staff: the return to South America. Playing in Brazil, in a competitive championship and in a structured club such as Athletico-PR, represents a chance to be closer to your homeland and family — something that weighs positively on your personal assessment.

Geographic and cultural proximity can be a decisive factor if the Brazilian club can present a competitive package. New information is expected after the final, when Cubas officially ends its season with the Vancouver Whitecaps.