Midfielder Eduard Atuesta has what Orlando City SC needs for 2025 | OneFootball

Here’s a transfer in the works that Orlando City SC wants to keep quiet. But supporters will want to make a lot of noise.

Central midfielder Eduard Atuesta has been trading looks with Orlando City SC for a transfer. The SE Palmeiras player had been on loan to Los Angeles FC. Last year he was second among LAFC midfielders with 3,007 minutes on the pitch across all competitions.

His home club in Brazil is the organization that won forward Facundo Torres from the Lions. Getting Atuesta from them would be a good trade, despite the fact it’s a midfielder for a striker.

In the MLS competition, he appeared in 28 matches with 25 starts. He scored only four goals and six assists in that time. But his work included 49 key passes in 1,311 pass attempts. He also got into 39 aerial duels.

He demonstrates a talent for aggression that fits the general match strategy of Orlando City. His style would credit the Lions’ efforts, as well. With LAFC, he regularly contributed the dribbles and tackles typical of a defensive midfielder. These are also skills that the Orlando attack requires.

Scouts have identified that Atuesta’s greatest strengths including dribbling and ball interceptions.

He had one of his best 2024 performances, completing all 71 of his pass attempts in a 3-1 mastery of the San Diego Earthquakes by LAFC.

He made his MLS debut in March 2018 and his first start in May. With all his contributions to LAFC, his loan contract ran out at the end of 2024. In a team statement, they dropped the idea of pursuing Atuesta further.

Instead, the team mounted a campaign to retain Lewis O’Brien. That midfielder was on loan from Nottingham Forest. His contract ran out at the same time as Atuesta’s.

Eduard Atuesta isn’t flashy. But his contributions are solid. His stamina and soccer style fit what Orlando City SC needs to do in 2025. The organization will get this done.