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Official announcement
The new Major League Soccer record transfer is now fully confirmed. Thiago Almada will join Atlanta United and sign a contract until 2025. Vélez Sarsfield, who confirmed the deal on Dec. 3, will receive $16 million for 100% of the player’s economic rights. That fee will break the record for the most expensive signing in MLS history set by Atlanta United when they signed Pity Martínez from River Plate in 2019 for $15.95 million (overview).
“After an extensive and in-depth due diligence process, we have exercised our exclusive option to permanently transfer in Thiago,” Atlanta United technical director Carlos Bocanegra said in a club statement. “He’s a player we’ve been tracking for a long time and he’s shown that he’s one of the best young players in South America over the past few seasons. We feel that his abilities fit well with the kind of attacking soccer that we want to play at Atlanta United and we’re confident that he will be able to play at a high level in Major League Soccer.”
Signing Almada came with significant obstacles. Atlanta United had a pre-agreement with Vélez in place since December but lacked the salary cap space to sign the attacking midfielder. The club has since moved Esequiel Barco on loan to River Plate, a transfer that opened up a necessary Designated Player (DP) spot in Atlanta’s squad. Furthermore, Almada also faced legal problems in his native Argentina that have since been resolved, finally clearing the transfer of the playmaker to MLS.
Pity Martínez, Barco, Almirón & Co.: Atlanta United’s record transfer
Eric Remedi | Signed from CA Banfield in 2018 | Fee: $1.93m
© Atlanta United FC
Leandro González Pírez | Signed from Estudiantes in 2017 | Fee: $2m
© Inter Miami CF
Héctor Villalba | Signed from San Lorenzo in 2016 | Fee: $2.75m
© Atlanta United FC
Alan Franco | Signed from Independiente in 2021 | Fee: $2.8m
© imago images
Franco Ibarra | Signed from Argentinos Juniors in 2021 | Fee: $3m
© Atlanta United
Erik López | Signed from Olimpia in 2020 | Fee: $3.7m
© imago images
Josef Martínez | Signed from Torino in 2017 | Fee: $4.95m
© Atlanta United FC
Santiago Sosa | Signed from River Plate in 2021 | Fee: $5.45m
© imago images
Marcelino Moreno | Signed from Lanús in 2020 | Fee: $7m
© Atlanta United
Miguel Almirón | Signed from Lanús in 2017 | Fee: $8.25m
© imago images
Luiz Araújo | Signed from Lille in 2021 | Fee: $12m
© imago images
Ezequiel Barco | Signed from Independiente in 2018 | Fee: $13.5m
© Katie Gillen/Atlanta United
Pity Martínez | Signed from River Plate in 2019 | Fee: $15.95m
© Atlanta United FC
Thiago Almada | Signed from Velez Sarsfield in 2022 | Fee: $16m
© fotobaires.com
Thiago Almada to Atlanta United – 20-year-old now most valuable MLS player
In Almada, Atlanta United now possess the most valuable player in MLS. The 20-year-old attacking midfielder has a market value of $22 million, which ranks him significantly above his new teammate Josef Martínez, who with a market value of $13.75 million was the most valuable player in the league (overview).
Martínez, Velasco, Reynoso & Co. – The 25 most valuable MLS players
Gustavo Bou | New England Revolution | Market value: $6.6m
© Matt Stith/MLS
Karol Swiderski | Charlotte FC | Market value: $6.6m
© imago images
Cristian Arango | LAFC | Market value: $6.6m
© imago images
Santiago Sosa | Atlanta United | Market value: $6.6m
© Concacaf
Facundo Torres | Orlando City | Market value: $6.6m
© imago images
Efraín Álvarez | Los Angeles Galaxy | Market value: $6.6m
© imago images
Hany Mukhtar | Nashville SC | Market value: $7.15m
© imago images
Ryan Gauld | Vancouver Whitecaps | Market value: $7.15m
© imago images
José Cifuentes | Los Angeles FC | Market value: $7.15m
© imago images
Carles Gil | New England Revolution | Market value: $7.7m
© Matthew Stith/MLS
Sebastián Driussi | Austin FC | Market value: $7.7m
© imago images
Adam Buksa | New England Revolution | Market value: $7.7m
© imago images
Valentín Castellanos | New York City FC | Market value: $7.7m
© imago images
Brenner | FC Cincinnati | Market value: $7.7m
© imago images
Talles Magno | New York City FC | Market value: $7.7m
© imago images
Dániel Sallói | Sporting Kansas City | Market value: $8.25m
© imago images
Raúl Ruidíaz | Seattle Sounders | Market value; $8.8m
© imago images
Alan Pulido | Sporting Kansas City | Market value: $8.8m
© Sporting Kansas City
Alejandro Pozuelo | Toronto FC | Market value: $8.8m
© imago images
Lucas Zelarayán | Columbus Crew | Market value: $8.8m
© imago images
Marcelino Moreno | Atlanta United | Market value: $8.8m
© imago images
Luiz Araujo | Atlanta United | Market value: $11m
© imago images
Emmanuel Reynoso | Minnesota United | Market value: $11m
© imago images
Alan Velasco | FC Dallas | Market value: $13.2m
© fotobaires.com
Josef Martínez | Atlanta United | Market value: $13.75m
© imago images
Thiago Almada | Atlanta United | Market value: $22m
© fotobaires.com
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