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FC Cincinnati Agrees to $4M Transfer With Brazilian Club for Midfielder

Originally posted on Athlon Sports
By Manuel Meza Cienfuegos | Last updated Dec 8, 2025 7:49 PM ET

FC Cincinnati had a good 2025 MLS season, despite not managing to reach at least the Eastern Conference final.

Pat Noonan's team finished in second place in the East during the regular season, earning 65 points after 34 games, with a record of 20 wins, five draws, and nine losses.

The Orange and Blue have received a financial boost as they agreed to the sale of Argentine midfielder Alvaro Barreal to Brazil's Santos, for $4 million, according to journalist Tom Bogert.

Sources: Alvaro Barreal’s purchase option to Santos has been triggered. The on-loan winger stays at Santos permanently now. @LaurelPfahler 1st.

FC Cincinnati will receive $4m fee, I’m told. pic.twitter.com/t6eTZzCevr
— Tom Bogert (@tombogert) December 8, 2025

"Alvaro Barreal’s purchase option to Santos has been triggered. The on-loan winger stays at Santos permanently now. FC Cincinnati will receive $4m fee, I’m told," Bogert wrote on his Twitter (X) account.

During the 2025 season, Barreal, 25, made 34 appearances for Santos, recording nine goals and one assist.

Therefore, Cincinnati will have more room to maneuver to plan the composition of its roster for the 2026 season.

Alvaro Barreal of Santos celebrates after scoring the first goal of his team during the match between Internacional and Santos as part of Brasileirao 2025 at Beira-Rio Stadium on November 24, 2025, in Porto Alegre, Brazil. Photo by Pedro H. Tesch/Getty Images

Alvaro Barreal Will Leave MLS After a Not-So-Successful Stint

Barreal signed for the MLS side back in 2020 from Argentine side Velez Sarsfield. In his first season, he played only five games. In the following campaign, in 2021, he appeared 33 times and recorded three goals and three assists.

In the 2022 campaign, he played 36 games, adding eight goals and five assists, but it was his last season with the club that was the most productive. In 2023, he played 46 games, scored eight goals, and provided 12 assists.

After being on loan at Brazil's Cruzeiro during 2024, Barreal was loaned to Santos, where it seems he will continue his career.

At 25, the midfielder has an estimated market value of $5.8 million, according to Transfermarkt. Cincinnati paid $1.7 million to Velez for his signing at the time.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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