Jeff Larentowicz’s time with Atlanta United is over.
Club vice president Carlos Bocanegra said Tuesday that the team will not try to re-sign the 37-year-old midfielder. Larentowicz’s one-year contract with the team expired, and he is a free agent.
“You can’t say enough nice things about Jeff and what he means to the club and to the city,” Bocanegra said.
Bocanegra said when the appropriate time comes, the team will welcome Larentowicz to Mercedes-Benz Stadium to show him how much the club appreciates his contributions.
In four seasons, Larentowicz helped the club win the MLS Cup in 2018 and the U.S. Open Cup and Campeones Cup in 2019.
He made 113 appearances in league games for the club, increasing his total to 437 in his career. He has the second-most appearances among field players in MLS history, trailing only Kyle Beckerman (497). Larentowicz’s 397 starts are the third-most in MLS history among field players (non-goalkeepers).
His iconic moment with Atlanta United probably was his goal against Club America in the Campeones Cup. The strike tied the score at 2-2 in the 59th minute.
Larentowicz was a respected leader in the locker room and a voice of reason and insight for journalists after great wins or tough losses. Many times after training sessions, particularly in 2018, Larentowicz and a group of players would stay after to try to kick soccer balls as close as possible to targets around the field. The game could last a long time. He served as a team captain and is an executive board member for the Major League Soccer Players Association.
Though he often is serious in interviews, he has been described by teammates to be very funny in the locker room. He still has yet to join any social-media platform, saying he will do so only when his kids start.
After a standout career at Brown, his professional career started in 2005 with New England. He played for the Revolution until 2009, which he helped to win the U.S. Open Cup in 2007. He followed with three seasons in Colorado (2010-12), which he helped win the MLS Cup in 2010, before joining Chicago (2013-15) and then the L.A. Galaxy (2016). He signed with Atlanta United as a free agent before the 2017 season.
Larentowicz is known as a disciplined defensive midfielder and a good tackler and passer.
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