da leao： Atlanta United have announced the departure of Argentina international Thiago Almada for a MLS-record transfer fee.
da betway： Article continues below
Article continues below
Article continues below
Almada joins Botafogo for MLS-record fee Signed for Atlanta United in 2022 Argentine was named MLS Young Player of the Year in 2023 WHAT HAPPENED?
The 23-year-old has completed a transfer to Brazilian top division side Botafogo from Major League Soccer club Atlanta United for a league-record transfer fee. While the American side did not reveal the amount they received for the winger, it was earlier reported that Botafogo agreed to pay a fee worth $21 million (£16m) plus add-ons which could further increase the valuation of the deal to $30m (£23m).
AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE
The Argentine star joined Atlanta ahead of the MLS 2022 season and appeared in 79 matches in the league where he scored 24 goals and contributed with 34 assists. Last year, he was included in the league's Best XI and was named MLS Young Player of the Year.
WHAT HAS BEEN SAID
After announcing their star player's departure, club vice president and technical Director Carlos Bocanegra said, "We spent more than a year recruiting Thiago to join Atlanta United and during that process, we agreed that our club could provide a great platform to showcase his abilities and he would have the opportunity to continue his development until the time was right for him to move on to the next challenge.
"We’re proud of what Thiago was able to accomplish in a short period of time, which includes debuting for the Argentine National Team, winning the 2022 FIFA World Cup and winning a pair of individual MLS awards – Newcomer of the Year and Young Player of the Year. His success is something we’re all proud of and a ton of credit is owed to our scouting department, in addition to everyone who has worked with him at the club. Our team has been prepared for this move and we will look to immediately reinvest in the team during the upcoming Summer Transfer Window."
GettyWHAT NEXT FOR ATLANTA UNITED?
The Five Stripes will be next seen in action on Sunday as they take on Real Salt Lake in a MLS clash away from home.