ORLANDO, Fla. (Feb. 10, 2025) – Orlando City SC has acquired midfielder Eduard Atuesta from Sociedade Esportiva Palmeiras of Brazil’s Campeonato Brasileiro Série A through 2025, with a Club option in 2026, it was announced today. Atuesta will join the Lions via transfer pending receipt of his P-1 Visa and International Transfer Certificate (ITC).
“We’re very excited about bringing Eduard here to Orlando, as a player that is in the prime of his career, has proven himself previously here in Major League Soccer and knows our league,” said EVP of Soccer Operations and General Manager Luiz Muzzi. “He’s a great midfield talent that has the ability to organize the team throughout the game, but most importantly he’s a title-winner at each of his previous clubs. We have confidence in him and his ability to help us achieve the goals we have here at this Club.”
"I’m very excited to be here, to join this great team and live in this beautiful city,” Atuesta said. “I can’t wait to step out into the stadium filled with our fans, to win games and to fight for the titles that this city deserves.”
Atuesta, 27, is a product of Independiente Medellín’s academy system. Following his time with Medellín, the midfielder featured in MLS for LAFC before joining Brazilian giants Palmeiras. Over the course of his career, Atuesta has appeared in 259 matches, scoring 15 goals and providing 32 helpers, with over 16,000 minutes played.
The Vélez, Colombia native has won a trophy at each of his three clubs across his career, claiming the Colombian championship once with Independiente Medellín in 2015/16, the 2019 Supporters’ Shield and 2024 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup with LAFC, and with Palmeiras won the 2022 and 2023 Brazilian title, the 2023 Supercopa do Brasil and the 2022 Recopa Sudamericana.
To date, Atuesta has featured 17 times for the Colombian national team across all levels and has played two international friendlies for the South American nation’s senior national team.
TRANSACTION: Orlando City SC acquires midfielder Eduard Atuesta via transfer from Palmeiras of Brazil’s Campeonato Brasileiro Série A through 2025, with a Club option in 2026.
Eduard Atuesta [ah-too-ES-tah]
Number: 20
Position: Midfielder
Height: 6-0
Born: June 18, 1997, in Vélez, Colombia
Hometown: Vélez, Colombia
Citizenship: COL
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