In addition to exercising contract options for the 2025 season on goalkeeper and captain Brad Guzan, midfielder Jay Fortune, centerback Efrain Morales and midfielder Santiago Sosa, Atlanta United President Garth Lagerwey said Tuesday the team hopes to sign a striker, a defender and possibly either a left wing or attacking midfielder. The team has two Designed Player slots available.
Lagerwey said they want to sign players who are fast, mobile and hard-working. He said he will not be limited to the more than $50 million made in sales of players last year when making signings for the 2025 season.
Working on those signings will be a new technical director, which Lagerwey said he hoped to announce by Christmas, and a manager, which may be finalized by next week.
“If you look at how we were most effective, a lot of times, it was with with pretty mobile attacking players to really maximize (Alexey) Miranchuk,” Lagerwey said.
The team declined contract options on Erik Centeno, Nick Firmino, Ronald Hernandez, Franco Ibarra, Jamal Thiare and Tyler Wolff. It remains in discussions with Hernandez, Thiare and Wolff.
Lagerwey said he wasn’t looking to try to reduce the team’s salary budget by any specific amount.
“We just want to recalibrate some player’s compensation to the roles that they play on the team,” Lagerwey said. “If we can find it in the right market range that it makes sense, then we’re happy to take it back.”
Guzan, 40, appeared in 32 games, as well as the team’s five playoff matches. He had guaranteed compensation of $612,500 in 2024, according to the Major League Soccer Players Association.
Fortune, 21, appeared in 27 regular-season matches, making 13 starts. Midfielder Dax McCarty said Fortune, a Homegrown signee, was one of the team’s more improved players. Morales, 20, also a Homegrown signee, made four appearances with three starts.
Thiare made 25 appearances, including 12 starts. He scored six goals during the regular season and two more in the decisive Game 3 playoff match at Miami. He had a guaranteed compensation of $595,000.
Wolff, 21 and a Homegrown signee, made 18 appearances, including six starts, with a goal. He had guaranteed compensation of $154,500.
Hernandez made 13 appearances, including seven starts. He made three more starts during the playoffs. He had guaranteed compensation of $450,000.
Sosa has been on loan at Racing in Argentina. Racing reportedly is on the verge of purchasing him for $4 million. If Atlanta United didn’t exercise the option on Sosa’s contract, Racing could have signed him for free when his contract expired.
Centeno didn’t play for the first team. Firmino made eight appearances, including two starts, this season.
Midfielder Dax McCarty and goalkeeper Quentin Westberg announced their retirements. Daniel Rios’ loan expired.
“We do think we have a foundation upon which to build that we can use to take us to the next level,” Lagerwey said. “... Can we add some difference makers to this group?”
Valentino departs
Rob Valentino is out of the running for Atlanta United’s manager position and has resigned his position. He posted a goodbye message Tuesday on X, saying “Valentino’s out.” His contract was expiring at the end of the year.
Valentino was promoted from being an assistant to Atlanta United’s interim manager following the firing of Gonzalo Pineda in June.
Valentino went 6-6-6 during the regular season. Atlanta United qualified for the playoffs, defeated Montreal in the wild-card round, posted one of the biggest upsets in MLS history by knocking out Miami in the best-of-three first round, and then lost to Orlando 1-0 on Sunday in the Eastern Conference semifinals. It was the club’s deepest playoff run since 2019.
Valentino was one of at least four people to interview for United’s manager job. Valentino has been with the club since 2018. He served as interim manager in 2021 between the firing of Gabriel Heinze and the hiring of Pineda.
2024 Atlanta United roster (as of Tuesday)
Goalkeepers (3): Josh Cohen, Brad Guzan and Jayden Hibbert*
Defenders (8): Luis Abram, Pedro Amador, Noah Cobb, Matthew Edwards, Stian Gregersen, Brooks Lennon, Efraín Morales and Derrick Williams
Midfielders (8): Jay Fortune, Saba Lobjanidze, Alexey Miranchuk, Edwin Mosquera, Tristan Muyumba, Bartosz Slisz, Santiago Sosa and Adyn Torres
Forwards (3): Luke Brennan, Ashton Gordon* and Xande Silva
*— will join the team in 2025
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Atlanta United’s 2024 schedule
Feb. 24 Columbus 1, Atlanta United 0
March 9 Atlanta United 4, New England 1
March 17 Atlanta United 2, Orlando 0
March 23 Toronto 2, Atlanta United 0
March 31 Atlanta United 3, Chicago 0
April 6 Atlanta United 1, NYCFC 1
April 14 Atlanta United 2, Philadelphia 2
April 20 Cincinnati 2, Atlanta United 1
April 27 Atlanta United 1, Chicago 1
May 4 Minnesota 2, Atlanta United 1
May 7 Atlanta United 3, Charlotte Independence 0 in U.S. Open Cup
May 11 D.C. United 3, Atlanta United 2
May 15 Cincinnati 1, Atlanta United 0
May 18 Atlanta United 1, Nashville 1
May 21 Atlanta United 0 (5), Charleston 0 (4) in U.S. Open Cup
May 25 LAFC 1, Atlanta United 0
May 29 Atlanta United 3, Miami 1
June 2 Charlotte 3, Atlanta United 2
June 15 Atlanta United 2, Houston 2
June 19 Atlanta United 1, D.C. United 0
June 22 Atlanta United 1, St. Louis 1
June 29 Atlanta United 2, Toronto 1
July 3 New England 2, Atlanta United 1
July 6 Real Salt Lake 5, Atlanta United 2
July 9 vs. Indy Eleven 2, Atlanta United 1
July 13 Montreal 1, Atlanta United 0
July 17 Atlanta United 2, NYCFC 2
July 20 Atlanta United 2, Columbus 1
July 26 D.C. United 3 (6), Atlanta United 3 (5) in Leagues Cup
Aug. 4 Santos Laguna 0 (5), Atlanta United 0 (3) in Leagues Cup
Aug. 24 L.A. Galaxy 2, Atlanta United 0
Aug. 31 Atlanta United 1, Charlotte 0
Sept. 14 Nashville 2, Atlanta United 0
Sept. 18 Atlanta United 2, Inter Miami 2
Sept. 21 Atlanta United 2, Red Bulls 2
Sept. 28 Atlanta United 1, Philadelphia 1
Oct. 2 Montreal 2, Atlanta United 1
Oct. 5 Atlanta United 2, Red Bulls 1
Oct. 19 Atlanta United 2, Orlando 1
Oct. 22 Atlanta United 2 (5), Montreal 2 (4) in wild-card round
Oct. 25 Inter Miami 2, Atlanta United 1 in playoffs, Game 1
Nov. 2 Atlanta United 2, Inter Miami 1 in playoffs, Game 2
Nov. 9 Atlanta United 3, Inter Miami 2 in playoffs, Game 3
Nov. 24 Orlando 1, Atlanta United 0 in Eastern Conference semifinals
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