The MLS transfer window doesn’t open until July 5, but Atlanta United already is making moves.
Attacking midfielder Marcelino Moreno, who has been on loan to Coritiba, reportedly was purchased by the Brazilian club Tuesday. Globo.com in Brazil first reported the acquisition. The reported price was $1.5 million, approximately $5.4 million less than Atlanta United paid Lanus to acquire him during the 2020 season. Atlanta United will retain a percentage of Moreno’s rights, should he be sold. Moreno has scored one goal in 20 appearances for Coritiba. He had 13 goals and 14 assists in 68 appearances for Atlanta United.
Atlanta United declined to comment.
The move would help Atlanta United because it no longer will be charged the prorated transfer fee – more than $1 million – that it paid to acquire Moreno.
Atlanta United President Garth Lagerwey was optimistic before the MLS season that at some point a trigger in the clause of Moreno’s loan would be met, and the sale would be complete.
Winger Edwin Mosquera, another player who was sent on loan before the season, resumed training with the club Tuesday. His loan to Defensa y Justicia in Argentina was canceled two weeks ago.
There are two reasons that Mosquera can’t yet play for Atlanta United and may not be able to for the remainder of the MLS season.
The first is the transfer window hasn’t yet opened. Though Mosquera has remained Atlanta United’s property, he can’t simply rejoin and play until the window opens and his certification clears.
The second is that the team doesn’t have an available roster slot. Mosquera signed last season as an Under-22 Initiative player. Each team can sign as many as three U-22s. Atlanta United already has three: Santiago Sosa, Franco Ibarra and Erik Lopez. It would need to transfer or loan out of MLS one of the players, or move one of those players to a Senior team contract using Targeted Allocation Money to open a U-22 slot. Or the team could loan Mosquera to another non-MLS club. Mosquera signed during the 2022 season. He had two assists in 12 appearances.
Atlanta United manager Gonzalo Pineda said he has a preference for what he hopes happens with Mosquera, but declined to share it Tuesday. Pineda deferred questions about Mosquera’s future with the club to Vice President Carlos Bocanegra.
Pineda said the team allowed Luiz Araujo to leave two matches ahead of his schedule because he said it was best for the player, who is excited about his move to Flamengo to Brazil, and the club. Pineda said he’s excited to see what other players may be able to do at right wing.
Araujo was purchased from Lille during the 2021 season. He finished with 11 goals and 12 assists in 59 appearances. The production wasn’t bad but more was expected.
Pineda said that it seemed like every time that Araujo started to gain momentum, either an injury or something that happened with the team would stop that progress.
“Luis was always very professional, was most of the time available,” Pineda said. “He was training very hard, never had a problem off the field, very disciplined guy, family guy. So overall, the whole package of a player, we like what he did for the club. Of course, we would have preferred he would have scored a couple more goals or assists, but that’s part of football. I think he tried.”
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Atlanta United’s 2023 MLS schedule
Feb. 25 Atlanta United 2, San Jose Earthquakes 1
March 4 Atlanta United 1, Toronto FC 1
March 11 Atlanta United 3, Charlotte FC 0
March 18 Atlanta United 5, Portland 1
March 25 Columbus 6, Atlanta United 1
April 1 Atlanta United 1, New York Red Bulls 0
April 8 Atlanta United 1, New York City FC 1
April 15 Atlanta United 2, Toronto FC 2
April 23 Atlanta United 2, Chicago 1
April 29 Nashville SC 3, Atlanta United 1
May 6 Inter Miami CF 2, Atlanta United 1
May 13 Charlotte 3, Atlanta United 1
May 17 Atlanta United 4, Colorado 0
May 20 Atlanta United 3, Chicago 3
May 27 Atlanta United 1, Orlando 1
May 31 Atlanta United 3, New England 3
June 7 Atlanta United 0, LAFC 0
June 10 Atlanta United 3, D.C. United 1
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
July 25 at Miami in Leagues Cup, 7:30 p.m.
July 29 vs. Cruz Azul in Leagues Cup, 8 p.m.
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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