OTTAWA, ON - Atlético Ottawa has today confirmed that defender Enmanuel "Roni" Mbomio has completed a permanent transfer from Atlético Madrid, on a free transfer. Mbomio has been signed to a guaranteed one-year contract ahead of the 2026 Canadian Premier League season, with a club option for 2027.
Mbomio, 20, was a standout player in the 2025 Canadian Premier League final and lifted the North Star Cup with Atlético Ottawa, having joined the club on loan from Atlético Madrid C in August 2025.
“Roni was able to step into the team last season and make an immediate impression within our squad,” said JD Ulanowski, General Manager, Atlético Ottawa. “Being able to bring in the first permanent transfer from Atlético de Madrid speaks to the growth and ambitions of our club. Roni not only became a key cog in a Canadian Premier League championship-winning team but also used his platform to earn a call-up to his national team. This is an important step for Roni and Atlético, and speaks to the rising level of the league and its ability to platform young talent for future success.”
Mbomio is a Spanish-Equatorial Guinean dual national who progressed through Atlético de Madrid's youth system. Mbomio made his international debut for Equatorial Guinea against Madagascar on November 17, 2025. The versatile defender, who can play right-back as well as both left and right center-back, has most recently been training with Atlético Madrid’s first team in Spain.
“I'm very happy to be back in Ottawa and, to be honest, from the moment the season ended, I had it in mind to return,” said Mbomio. “Ultimately, this is what I wanted; to come to a team where I'd have the opportunity to demonstrate my abilities and get playing time at a professional level.
“I was only here for three months last season, but I really enjoyed the league, the team atmosphere, the city, the fans—I liked everything about it. And I'm so grateful because here in Ottawa, I got my first call-up to play for my country's national team, and I'm hoping there will be many more. Thank you to the club and the staff for their trust and for making this transfer possible.”
Mbomio made his professional debut as an Atlético Ottawa player on Saturday, August 30, 2025, in a 3-1 win over Vancouver FC at TD Place. Mbomio has also featured six times for Atlético Madrid’s youth academy in the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) Youth League, an annual club football competition featuring the top Under-19 teams in Europe.
2026 Atlético Ottawa Roster as of January 13, 2025:
Goalkeepers: Tristan Crampton (CAN)
Defenders: Loïc Cloutier (CAN), Joaquim Coulanges (CAN), Brett Levis (CAN), Sergei Kozlovskiy (CAN), Noah Abatneh (CAN), Tyr Duhaney-Walker (CAN), Roni Mbomio (EQG)
Midfielders: Gabriel Antinoro (CAN), Jean-Aniel Assi (CAN), Juan ‘Coque’ Castro (MEX), Marko Stojadinovic (CAN), Manuel Aparicio (CAN), Tim Arnaud (CAN)
Forwards: Ralph Khoury (CAN), Richie Ennin (CAN), Ballou Tabla (CAN)
Additionally, Atlético Ottawa have picked Carleton University's Joseph Daher and Brock University's Gabriel Tardiff in the 2026 CPL-U SPORTS Draft, presented by Degree. Both players will join Atlético's pre-season, looking to earn a U SPORTS contract for the 2026 CPL season.
Season Seat Memberships for the 2026 Canadian Premier League season at TD Place are on sale now. **Click here for more information.**