Atlético Mineiro's football director, Paulo Bracks, confirmed the Brazilian club's interest in 21-year-old Chilean midfielder Lucas Assadi, who shone in the 2025 season with Universidad de Chile. The team led by Jorge Sampaoli sees him as a promising reinforcement, though negotiations are ongoing. Assadi, meanwhile, avoids commenting and focuses on his current role at the blue club.
Lucas Assadi had his best year in 2025 with Universidad de Chile, playing 30 matches across all tournaments, scoring 11 goals and providing 6 assists. His performance stood out particularly in the Copa Sudamericana, with 7 matches, 5 goals, and key contributions in the final phase. This breakout has put him on the radar of international clubs, including Atlético Mineiro, where Jorge Sampaoli returned last year.
Paulo Bracks, O Galo's executive football director, confirmed the interest in a press conference: “Assadi is an interesting player, one that generates interest. It's a name we have on the table. I can say Assadi is on the list, it's a player we're advancing on, but it's on the table.” Local media report that the Brazilian club offered 2.5 million dollars for his transfer, but Universidad de Chile seeks at least double to negotiate.
On the first day of preseason for the blues, Assadi addressed the rumor: “I prefer not to talk about that. The truth is that corresponds to my representative. I'm here, I showed up. I'm training at the U and I still belong to the U.” Meanwhile, the Chilean club handles key decisions, like Eduardo Vargas's return, but Assadi's potential departure poses a challenge for the sports management.
This interest marks a potential leap in the career of the youth product from the U's academy, who promised early on but only broke out at 21 under Gustavo Álvarez's trust.
