Atlanta United has signed at least one reinforcement.
A person with knowledge of the signing said Wednesday that the MLS team has acquired centerback Luis Abram. Abram, who is left-footed, previously played for Granada in Spain’s second division. He made 10 appearances. He spent the 2022 season with Cruz Azul in LIGA MX, where he made 38 appearances. Abram will occupy an international slot on the roster. He has not yet joined the team, which is training in Mexico.
Abram, a 26-year-old native of Peru, is the first of a possible three signings that manager Gonzalo Pineda said the team was trying to finalize. He will join a position group that includes Miles Robinson, JuanJo Purata and Noah Cobb.
Signing Abram, who signed a three-year guaranteed contract, also gives the team some insurance in case Robinson decides not to sign the contract offer extended to him last season. Should Robinson, who is in the last year of his deal, not sign, the team could possibly sell or trade him during the summer transfer window.
Abram started at Sporting Cristal in Lima, Peru. He went to Velez Sarsfield in Argentina, a club known by Atlanta United because it has moved for a few of its players in the past. Abram then went to Granada.
The second addition reportedly will be striker Giorgos Giakoumakis. After weeks of negotiations between the club and Celtic, which also was trying to sell Giakoumakis to Urawa in Japan, reports have Atlanta United and Celtic reaching an agreement.
Giakoumakis is a 28-year-old native of Greece. His career includes stops at several clubs, most recently at Celtic in Scotland. He has scored 83 goals in 243 appearances with an average of one goal every 161 minutes.
Atlanta United has yet to comment.
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Atlanta United’s 2023 MLS schedule
Feb. 25 vs. San Jose Earthquakes, 7:30 p.m.
March 4 vs. Toronto FC, 7:30 p.m.
March 11 at Charlotte FC, noon, Fox
March 18 vs. Portland Timbers, 7:30 p.m.
March 25 at Columbus Crew, 7:30 p.m.
April 1 vs. New York Red Bulls, 7:30 p.m.
April 8 at New York City FC, 7:30 p.m.
April 15 at Toronto FC, 7:30 p.m.
April 23 vs. Chicago Fire FC, 4:30 p.m., FS1
April 29 at Nashville SC, 1:30 p.m., Fox
May 6 at Inter Miami CF, 7:30 p.m.
May 13 vs. Charlotte FC, 7:30 p.m.
May 17 vs. Colorado Rapids, 7:30 p.m.
May 20 at Chicago Fire FC, 8:30 p.m.
May 27 at Orlando City SC, 7:30 p.m.
May 31 vs. New England Revolution, 7:30 p.m., FS1
June 3 at Los Angeles FC, 10:30 p.m.
June 10 vs. D.C. United, 7:30 p.m.
June 21 vs. New York City FC, 7:30 p.m.
June 24 at New York Red Bulls, 7:30 p.m.
July 2 vs. Philadelphia Union, 4 p.m., Fox
July 8 at CF Montreal, 7:30 p.m.
July 12 at New England Revolution, 7:30 p.m.
July 15 vs. Orlando City SC, 7:30 p.m., FS1
Aug. 20 at Seattle Sounders, 10:30 p.m.
Aug. 26 vs. Nashville SC, 7:30 p.m.
Aug. 30 vs. FC Cincinnati, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 2 at FC Dallas, 8:30 p.m.
Sept. 16 vs. Inter Miami CF, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 20 at D.C. United, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 23 vs. CF Montreal, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 4 at Philadelphia Union, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 7 vs. Columbus Crew, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 21 at FC Cincinnati, TBA
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