Cottbus signs striker Copado permanently from promoted side Paderborn

Familiar place, trusted coach

Copado was on loan at Cottbus in the 2024/25 season from what was then Austrian champions Linzer ASK (LASK) and scored seven goals in 33 appearances, providing a further six. After the loan ended, his parent club LASK sold him to SC Paderborn, where he played only a minor role in the past season.

For Paderborn, Copado made a total of nine appearances in the 2. Bundesliga with just over 330 minutes of playing time, two of them as a starter and three as a substitute. He scored one goal in league play against VfL Bochum on matchday 5, netting what turned out to be the 1:0 winner. He missed large parts of the second half of the season due to injury, which caused him to increasingly lose his place in the team.

Sporting record at Paderborn

With Paderborn's promotion to the Bundesliga and Cottbus's leap to the 2. Bundesliga, the two clubs will face each other in different divisions next season. While Paderborn goes into the top flight with a squad of 34 players and a total market value of 39.78 million euros, Cottbus has 26 players with a combined market value of 7.60 million euros.

Copado is listed as a centre-forward at FC Energie. His current market value is 600,000 euros according to the data, down from one million in 2022. At FC Energie Cottbus, Lucas Copado has left a lasting impression, as the club put it in its statement.

The clubs did not disclose the duration of the new contract in Cottbus. The remaining term of his previous contract at Paderborn had likewise not been made public. What is clear is that Cottbus is paying a transfer fee and Copado is therefore receiving a permanent contract with the Lusatians.

Contract details kept under wraps

The move was announced on Thursday through the official channels of both clubs and fits into an already active summer of transfers for the Lusatians, who are strengthening themselves as a promoted side in the 2. Bundesliga.

Wollitz highlighted the sporting qualities of the new signing in his assessment: "Lucas covers an incredible amount of intensive ground, has excellent movement off the ball and is dangerous in front of goal as well." That makes the attacker a perfect fit for the promoted side's playing concept.

Born in Spain, Lucas Copado is the son of former professional footballer Francisco Copado and is considered a former Bayern talent. With his return to Cottbus, a circle closes for the 22-year-old that had begun with the loan from Austria.