Flamengo keep tabs on Orlando City's Argentine midfielder | OneFootball

Leonardo Jardim recently pointed out a ‘shortage’ in Flamengo’s creative department

Flamengo’s search for an attacking midfielder has entered a new chapter. After coach Leonardo Jardim highlighted the lack in the position during a press conference, Coluna do Fla has learned that Argentine midfielder Martín Ojeda, from Orlando City (USA), has emerged as one of the names being evaluated by the club’s board.

At 27, the Argentine is seen as an option to address the shortage in the creative sector. For now, Flamengo has only made initial inquiries about the player, monitoring whether Ojeda meets the technical requirements to raise the level of the red-and-black team.

WHO IS MARTÍN OJEDA?

Martín Ojeda joined the American club in January 2023 and is under contract until June 2029. Before Orlando City, the midfielder gained experience in Argentine football, playing for Racing (ARG) (2018-2019), Huracán (ARG) (2020), and Godoy Cruz (ARG) (2020-2023).

The Argentine has also been among the standout players in chances created in MLS. In the current 2026 season, he has 11 goals in 16 matches played across Major League Soccer and the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.

DO FLAMENGO WANT A MIDFIELDER?

An undisputed starter and a key player, Arrascaeta remains the ‘brain’ of Flamengo’s midfield, but at 32, he no longer has the same physical sharpness as in previous seasons. To share the workload with the Uruguayan, Flamengo moved for Carrascal in mid-2025, when the team was still coached by Filipe Luís.

With the arrival of Leonardo Jardim in March, the playing philosophy changed. As a result, the new coach does not see Carrascal as the ideal replacement for the creative role, instead using the Colombian in wider areas of the pitch.

Now, Jardim is looking for a profile somewhere in between the two, stressing that Paquetá is also not the player envisioned for the role. That is because, for the Portuguese coach, the number 20 performs better as a box-to-box midfielder.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.