Atlanta United Transfers Thiago Almada for MLS Record Fee to Eagle Football

Atlanta United announced Saturday that it has transferred midfielder Thiago Almada to Botafogo from Eagle Football Holdings for a league-record fee. The transaction opens up a designated player spot on the club’s 2024 roster. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

“We spent over a year recruiting Thiago to join Atlanta United and during that process we agreed that our club could provide an excellent platform to showcase his abilities and that he would have the opportunity to continue his development until the time was right for him to move on to the next challenge,” said Vice President and Technical Director Carlos Bocanegra. “We are proud of what Thiago has been able to achieve in a short space of time, including his debut with the Argentina national team, his victory at the 2022 FIFA World Cup and his two individual awards in MLS – Rookie of the Year and Young Player of the Year. His success is something we are all proud of and we owe a lot of credit to our scouting department, in addition to everyone who has worked with him at the club. Our team has been prepared for this move and we will look to immediately reinvest in the team in the upcoming summer transfer window.”

Almada joined Atlanta ahead of the 2022 season and started 74 of his 79 appearances in the MLS regular season and playoffs, recording 24 goals and 34 assists. In 2022, the Argentine midfielder was honored as the MLS Newcomer of the Year after leading the team in assists (12) and finishing third on the team in goals (six), in addition to being named to the MLS Team of the Week five times. In 2023, Almada finished third in MLS MVP voting after a standout sophomore season, earning a spot in the 2023 MLS Best XI, being named the 2023 MLS Young Player of the Year, and an MLS All-Star after scoring a league-record 11 goals and 19 assists. Almada, 23, became the first active MLS player to win a FIFA World Cup as he was part of the Argentina team that won the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

Major League Soccer’s secondary transfer window opens on Thursday, July 18 and closes on Wednesday, August 14.

Eagle Football is a family of global football organizations that includes Botafogo of the Brazilian Serie A. Other Eagle Football clubs include Olympique Lyonnais of the French Ligue 1 and Crystal Palace of the English Premier League.

Atlanta United (6-9-6, 24 points) returns to MLS regular season action on Saturday, July 6 against Real Salt Lake at America First Field (9:30 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass on Apple TV, 92.9 The Game, La Mejor).

Transaction: Atlanta United transfers midfielder Thiago Almada to Botafogo for an undisclosed fee on July 6, 2024.

Atlanta United player roster (as of July 6, 2024)
Goalkeepers (3): Josh Cohen, Brad Guzan, Quentin Westberg
Defenders (10): Luis Abram, Pedro Amador, Noah Cobb, Matt Edwards, Stian Gregersen, Ronald Hernandez, Brooks Lennon, Efraín Morales, Caleb Wiley, Derrick Williams
Midfielders (9): Nick Firmino, Jay Fortune, Saba Lobjanidze, Dax McCarty, Edwin Mosquera, Tristan Muyumba, Bartosz Slisz, Adyn Torres, Tyler Wolff
Attackers (4): Luke Brennan, Daniel RiosXande Silva, Jamal Thiare

On loan from CD Guadalajara

Loaned for the 2024 season: Franco Ibarra (Rosario Central, ARG), Santiago Sosa (Racing Club, ARG), Erik Centeno (ATL UTD 2), Aiden McFadden (Louisville City FC).