Official: Uruguay international Nicolas Fonseca joins Coritiba on one-season loan with purchase option

Coritiba officially announced that Uruguay international Nicolas Fonseca has joined the club. The midfielder will play on loan until August 31, 2027, with a purchase option included in the contract.

Nicolas Fonseca was born in Italy and holds Uruguayan citizenship. He is 27 years old, plays as a midfielder, and will wear Coritiba's No. 5 shirt in the new season.

Fonseca is the son of former professional player Daniel Fonseca. The latter played for clubs including Cagliari, Napoli, Roma, and Juventus in Italian football. Nicolas was born in Naples on October 19, 1998. He began his professional career at Italian club Novara, made his professional debut in 2016, and also participated in the Coppa Italia.

In 2022, Fonseca joined Uruguay's River Plate before moving to Montevideo Wanderers. In 2023, he joined Argentina's River Plate. In 2024, he made 34 appearances in all competitions, including seven Copa Libertadores matches. His only goal in the Libertadores came against Venezuelan side Deportivo Táchira, when he scored a powerful long-range strike from before the halfway line.

During his recent spells with Leon and LaLiga club Real Oviedo, Fonseca showed strong defensive ability, completing more than 110 defensive actions in total, including tackles, interceptions, and clearances.

In terms of passing and attacking build-up, Fonseca recorded an 87% passing accuracy during his time in LaLiga. He was mainly responsible for linking the defense and attack and contributing to the team's transitions. This season, he played 1,019 minutes in LaLiga.

At international level, Fonseca has made seven appearances for the Uruguay national team. He made his debut on March 23, 2024, in a friendly match against the Basque Country representative team. In the latest South American World Cup qualifiers, he played four matches, with his most recent appearance coming against Venezuela on June 10, 2025, when Uruguay won 2-0.

Joining Coritiba marks Fonseca's first move into Brazilian football. Speaking about the transfer, he said: "I am very happy and already prepared to proudly wear this shirt. It is an honor to be part of this special moment and represent these colors. I will defend this shirt with respect, commitment, and above all, the desire to create history."

Coritiba's next match will take place on September 12 Beijing time, when the team will host Paranaense in the 26th round of the Brazilian Serie A.