Thiago Almada said Saturday’s home match may have been his last with Atlanta United

Thiago Almada said Saturday’s 2-1 win against Toronto “could be” his last home match with Atlanta United.

“There’s a lot of rumors out there, some of which are true, but at the moment there’s nothing that’s been announced,” he said. “So I respect the club and the institution so I don’t want to get ahead of myself and say that anything is done. But it could be.”

Almada scored his sixth goal this season and 23rd for the club to give Atlanta United a 1-0 lead.

“Scoring a goal at home in a victory is a happy ending,” he said. “The one thing that I didn’t do was win a title here. But I think that it was a good game.”

Atlanta United and Eagle Soccer have been negotiating since Tuesday on the possible transfer of the playmaker. Atlanta United wants around $30 million for the Argentine.

If Almada is sold, it’s possible he could go on loan to Botafogo and then sent to Lyon in France. Both clubs are owned by Eagle.

Atlanta United purchased Almada from Velez Sarsfield before the 2022 season for a reported fee of $16 million.

He said he feels like he has developed as a player and as a person while with the club.

“The culture at Atlanta United helped me a lot, also my teammates,” he said. “So I think it was a good step in my career. I got called up to the national team ... and went to the World Cup.”

Almada, 23 years old, is the only active MLS player to be on a World Cup-winning squad when he was with Argentina in 2022 in Qatar.

Almada may not have been the only Atlanta United player in his last home match at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Fullback Caleb Wiley is of interest to Chelsea, who would sign him and loan him to Strasbourg in France.

Wiley, 19, made his 75th appearance, including his 65th start, in Saturday’s win. Wiley, a Homegrown, said it wasn’t his last home match.

“I’m obviously focused on the team right now and with those discussions I have with my parents and agent, but obviously right now I’m just focused on the team,” he said.

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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