Now that Atlanta United has Thiago Almada, manager Gonzalo Pineda faces the challenge of figuring how to integrate him into the MLS team.
Pineda said Wednesday that Almada can play either as an attacking midfielder or on the wing. The club could use an upgrade at both positions.
“I have to see how his connection and see how he connects with Josef (Martinez), with Luiz (Araujo) and the other players that we have around those three, and I think then we will see where is the best place for him, but I can tell you that he’s flexible,” Pineda said.
Almada, 20, is considered one of the bright young talents in South America. He scored 24 goals with 11 assists in 100 appearances for his previous club, Velez Sarsfield. Atlanta United reportedly paid $16 million to acquire him, which would break an MLS record. Almada’s value, according to transfermarkt.com, is $22 million.
Atlanta United Vice President Carlos Bocanegra said Almada is very good in the penalty box.
“He ... has a nose for goal, and that’s something we’re looking to add to the group,” Bocanegra said.
Adding Almada to an attack that includes Martinez, MLS MVP in 2018, and Araujo, who has the talent to become a league MVP, could give Atlanta United an offense more similar to what it had in 2017 and ‘18, when it scored 70 goals in those seasons, than last year, when it scored 45 in the same number of games.
Once the team returns from its preseason training camp in Guadalajara, Mexico, Almada will begin working on his visa. Because of that process, Pineda said he doesn’t yet know when Almada will be available for selection. The team has two friendlies scheduled Sunday in Mexico before it returns, and another Feb. 20 at Birmingham. The team will open its MLS season Feb. 27 against Sporting KC at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
The team currently has a few attacking midfielders – Marcelino Moreno and Emerson Hyndman – but is thin at left wing. Tyler Wolff, a Homegrown signing, has played there and done well during the preseason. It also has Machop Chol, another Homegrown, and Jake Mulraney. Pineda used Mulraney as an attacking midfielder in last week’s friendly against Mexican second-division side Celaya.
Bocanegra said he expects Almada to be impactful but tried to tamp down some expectations Wednesday.
“We expect for him to come in, work hard, be a good teammate and give his best every day,” he said. “We know what kind of quality he has. We know what he can do with the ball.”
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Atlanta United’s 2022 MLS schedule
Feb. 27 vs. Sporting KC, 3 p.m., FS1
March 5 at Colorado, 6 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
March 13 vs. Charlotte, 4:30 p.m., FS1
March 19 vs. Montreal, 4 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
April 2 at D.C. United, 7:30 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
April 9 at Charlotte, 3 p.m., ESPN
April 16 vs. Cincinnati, 6 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
April 24 at Miami, 1 p.m., ESPN
April 30 at Montreal, 4 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
May 7 vs. Chicago, 6 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
May 15 vs. New England, 2 p.m., ESPN
May 21 at Nashville, 7:30 p.m. FOX
May 28 vs. Columbus Crew, 7 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
June 19 vs Miami, 4 p.m., ESPN2
June 25 at Toronto, 7:30 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
June 30 at New York Red Bulls, 8 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
July 3 at NYCFC, 5 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
July 9 vs. Austin, 7 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
July 13 vs. Real Salt Lake, 7:30 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
July 17 vs. Orlando, 3 p.m., ABC
July 24 at L.A. Galaxy, 9:30 p.m., FS1
July 30 at Chicago, 5 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
Aug. 6 vs. Seattle, 3 p.m., ABC
Aug. 13 at Cincinnati, 7:30 p.m. BSSO/BSSE
Aug. 17 vs. New York Red Bulls, 7:30 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
Aug. 21 at Columbus, 6 p.m., FS1
Aug. 28 vs. D.C. United, 4 p.m., UNIV
Aug. 31 at Philadelphia, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 4 at Portland, 5:30 p.m., FOX
Sept. 10 vs. Toronto, 7:30 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
Sept. 14 at Orlando, 6 p.m., BSSO/BSSE
Sept. 17 vs. Philadelphia, 3:30 p.m., UniMas
Oct. 1 at New England, 1 p.m., UniMas
Oct. 9 vs. NYCFC, TBD, BSSO/BSSE
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