Gabriel Heinze to coach Atlanta United next season
The Argentine head coach will take over the head coach job in Atlanta and his first signing will be Agustín Almendra from Boca Juniors.
It is not official, but it looks odds-on that Gabriel Heinze will be appointed as the head coach for Atlanta United for the 2021 season and his first signing will be Agustín Almendra from Boca Juniors. The first to report the news was The Athletic, confirming that the 20-year-old offensive midfielder will join Heinze with the ‘Five Stripes’ team.
Almendra looking at various offers
Agustín Almendras' contract with Boca Juniors expires on 30 June 2022 and according to transfermarkt his current market value is $12.10 million. It was reported earlier this year that Inter Miami made an offer to sign the 20-year-old, but the deal was never finalized. What's more New York City and a team from Los Angeles have been interested in Almendra, so that's a number of factors pointing at the MLS looking like his next destination.
In order for Atlanta United to complete this transfer, they are going to have to make some changes in their roster, because their three Designated Player slots are filled right now, by Josef Martínez, Ezequiel Barco and Marcelino Moreno.
On the other hand, Gabriel Heinze has parted ways with Velez Sarsfield earlier this year so he will arrive as a free agent to Major League Soccer. Since the departure of Frank de Boer, after the team was eliminated in the MLS is Back tournament, Stephen Glass has been in charge of Atlanta United.