RACING CLUB DE AVELLANEDA

Charlotte FC acquired striker Enzo Capetti from Racing Club deAvellaneda as its third designated player. The soccer transfer website Transfermarkt.us estimates the value of the deal at $6.5 million.

As his future teammates began training camp for the 2023 MLS season, Enzo Copetti sat in the comfort of his living room talking to the media as he awaits completion of paperwork that will let him join them.

The acquisition of the Argentine striker from Racing Club de Avellaneda, a famous 120-year-old team in the province that is greater Buenos Aires, was finally made official this week after much speculation. Racing finished second in the Primera (Argentine first division) last season, two points behind Boca Juniors.

The soccer transfer website Transfermarkt.us estimates his value to be just shy of $6.5 million, three times more than his previous transfer from Atletico de Rafaela to Racing. That makes him Charlotte’s third designated player, joining the Polish pair of Karol Swiderski and Kamil Jozwiak.

“I know fans will ask a lot of things from me because I’m a DP,” he told reporters on Wednesday via Zoom, acknowledging both the pressure and opportunity that brings. “I’m thankful Charlotte brought me as designated player. I want to set a legacy and get a championship here, and get the crown here.”

"We’re delighted to complete the permanent signing of Enzo to become our next Designated Player," CLTFC sporting director Zoran Krneta said in a release. "He’s a clinical goalscorer for one of the biggest clubs in Argentina and we are confident his physical profile and skillset will translate well to Major League Soccer."

Copetti, who turns 27 on Jan. 16 is nicknamed “El Tanque” – the tank. While that denotes the toughness he will bring to Charlotte, it belies the quickness and predatory instincts that made him the third-leading scorer in the Primera last season with 11 goals. In 47 matches across all competitions, he scored 21 goals and passed for six assists.

Copetti also brings back the bleached blond hair to the front line that departed when the popular Daniel Rios was sold to Mexican club Chivas Guadalajara. Rios endeared himself forever to Charlotte supporters with a four-goal performance against Philadelphia last October, the first hat-trick in club history. Fans will look to the Argentine striker to excite in the same fashion.

Copetti noted that he had offers from teams in Mexico and Russia – the latter which he dismissed immediately given the war against Ukraine. While the money may have been greater elsewhere, Copetti said it was his conversations with Charlotte head coach Christian Lattanzio that made the difference.

“Lattanzio told me he wants me to play in the box as a number 9 (center forward),” he said. “That’s why I came here, to be a goal scorer for the franchise.”

Copetti said he liked Lattanzio’s attacking style and appreciates that the Charlotte coach “wants an intense team, always trying to win games.”

Copetti is used to playing in front of large crowds as Racing boasted the league’s third-biggest stadium, seating just over 55,000 fans. He is already aware of the passion Charlotte supporters bring and appreciates the tifos of Queen Charlotte that remind him of those done by Borussia Dortmund fans in the German Bundesliga.

Copetti said he and his girlfriend, who is expecting their first child, are looking forward to the American lifestyle and she supported the move to Charlotte.

Responding to a question regarding Argentine media saying that coming to the U.S. would be a backwards move in his career, Copetti was quick to dismiss the chauvinism of his home country’s media, saying, “It’s not a regression but an evolution. It’s a step forward in my career. MLS is very competitive.”

Playing for Atlanta United in MLS did not prevent Argentine midfielder Thiago Almada from representing his country and winning a FIFA World Cup champion’s medal last month.

He watched future teammate Karol Swiderski play against Argentina in the final first round match of the World Cup, a 2-0 victory for the eventual champions and sees him as a partner, a deeper laying forward who is a strong passer.

Asked if he might covet the Number 10, which isn’t currently worn by a Charlotte player, Copetti responded that he doesn’t care what number he wears, that he just wants to prove himself on the field, adding that the past two numbers he wore were selected by the team. Most recently, he was adorned with the 9 jersey for Racing. That number is currently assigned to Vinicius Mello, a 20-year-old Brazilian forward who did not play last season due to injury. The number on his back doesn’t matter. Those on the scoresheet do.

“It doesn’t matter what number I use,” he said. “I just want to prove on the pitch what I am made of.”

Awaiting his visa, which is in progress, it is not known when Copetti will join the team, which is currently training in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. until Jan. 20 where they will play against MLS’s newest team, St. Louis City FC behind closed doors on Jan. 21. They then head to Carson, Calif., which will include a closed friendly against the LA Galaxy on Jan. 27.

Then comes the Coachella Valley Invitational near Palm Springs for matches against the Chicago Fire (Feb. 1) and Vancouver Whitecaps (Feb. 4), both of which are open to the public. The Crown returns home to train from Feb. 6-18 before they travel to Charleston, S.C., for a match against the Battery on Feb. 11 and another closed session against Birmingham Legion a week later. Both are USL Championship sides.

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