It is “50-50″ whether Atlanta United will add another player before the transfer window closes on Wednesday, according to a person with knowledge of the situation.
The MLS team signed attacking midfielder Alexey Miranchuk for a reported fee of $13 million and left fullback Pedro Amador for free. It has been pursuing either a striker to replace Giorgos Giakoumakis, or a winger. The club should know within the next 48 hours when Miranchuk will join. They have been working on his visa. The club’s next match is Aug. 24 at L.A. Galaxy.
Before the window opened, Atlanta United President Garth Lagerwey tasked Vice President Carlos Bocanegra with finding prime-age players from the top-five leagues in Europe (England, Germany, Italy, Spain and France). Miranchuk, 28 years old, signed from Atalanta in Italy. If the team signs a third player, it is likely they won’t be someone that the average fan knows and may be from one of the other leagues in Europe, such as the Eredivisie in Holland, according to the person. However, Lagerwey has also said that the team won’t overspend or panic-buy.
The club needs additions. It is in the ninth place and final playoff spot in the East. It is one point ahead of the 10th- and 11th-place teams and two points ahead of the 12th- and 13th-place teams. It is six points behind seventh-place Orlando.
The club has two strikers, Daniel Rios and Jamal Thiare. They have combined for 11 goals. The primary wingers, Saba Lobjanidze and Xande Silva, have combined for eight goals and nine assists. Lobjanidze has produced most of those with six goals and seven assists.
Should the club not sign a player, it will use the remaining money, more than $40 million, from sales of Thiago Almada, Giakoumakis and Caleb Wiley, to pursue players during the winter window ahead of the 2025 season.
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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 at L.A. Galaxy, 10:30 p.m.
Aug. 31 at Charlotte, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 14 vs. Nashville, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 18 vs. Miami, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 21 at Red Bulls, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 28 at Philadelphia, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 2 vs. Montreal, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 5 vs. Red Bulls, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 19 at Orlando, 6 p.m.
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