Atlanta United: For Miguel Almiron, the hard part starts now

Atlanta United were a high-flying new face on the MLS block, and no one was more involved than Miguel Almiron. But the first part was easy.

Only one other MLS team scored more goals and had a better goal differential than a rampant Atlanta United side, and that was MLS Cup winners Toronto FC. The new kids on the southern block were an absolute joy to watch as they broke attendance records left and right and lived up to the ticket price with goals, goals and more goals.

Right at the heart of all of that was Paraguayan superstar Miguel Almiron, who contributed nine goals, eight assists, and took home enough honors to fill a shelf with. It was a massive season for a player that a lot was expected from.

And people noticed. Atlanta United received $20-25m offers from some of the biggest teams in the world of soccer – Arsenal, Inter Milan, AC Milan and, well, Newcastle too. A fee that high would have at least doubled the previous record fee paid for an MLS player – the $10 million that Villarreal paid for Jozy Altidore.

Related Story: MLS Week One TV Schedule

And Atlanta United turned them all down, as well as hefty offers for other players. They wanted to keep the boys together. For the most part, they did, as their biggest departure was Anton Walkes who had to go back to Tottenham with his loan expired.

More from MLS Multiplex

• Javier Milei Elected in Argentina: Potential Impacts on MLS and Signings of Argentine Players
• Orlando City and New York City FC in the Battle for Matías Arezo; Grêmio Enters Negotiations! Who Will Come Out on Top?
• USA, Honduras, Panama, and Canada Close in on a Spot in the 2024 Copa America
• De Gea Turns Down Al-Nassr’s Lucrative Offer: Speculation Points to Possible Reunion with Messi at Inter Miami
• Messi’s Magnetic Impact in the United States

Impressing in your first season can be incredibly hit or miss. In any league, at any level. Some players just gel immediately and run rampant. Almiron did that with the help of a powerful Atlanta United attack (and defense).

But the sophomore slump is a real deal for all those players that clicked right away. Teams get a beat on you, defenses know your moves and following up in the exact same fashion that you dominated the first time becomes a chore.

Almiron already had that up against him, but now he has to factor in the allure of playing his trade overseas, among the best players in the world. Even if he has no intention of leaving any time soon, this is a massive pressure cooker of a situation.

Not only will he want to bring Atlanta United to the promised land that they were unable to attain last season, but he will also be playing to justify the massive prices that some big-wig teams submitted for him.

Next: Atlanta United 2018 Season Preview

That is no easy task, and it is something that will require the very best of Almiron, as well as a good deal of adjustments if things aren’t as smooth as they were in 2017.