Atlanta United have enjoyed yet another productive season in 2019. But how did their new signings fare? Here, we assess the campaigns for the seven new major arrivals.
It’s been another special season for Atlanta United in 2019. The Five Stripes have built on their 2018 MLS Cup win, securing the U.S. Open Cup and Campeones Cup and are set for another run in the playoffs this fall.
Josef Martinez has once again blown everyone away with his ruthless goalscoring and sheer desire to win, Miles Robinson has been a brilliantly unexpected success story in defense and Darlington Nagbe proved his worth as one of the most press-resistant midfielders in MLS.
But what about the players Atlanta signed before and during the 2019 season? How have they fared so far and what have they added to Frank de Boer’s side, if anything? We’ve taken a look at each of Atlanta’s seven major signings in 2019 to see if they’ve hit the mark or missed the spot.
7. Gonzalo Martinez
Signed from: River Plate
Fee: $14m
We might as well kick this off with the biggest of them all. Gonzalo Martinez arrived as a Copa Libertadores winner and South American Player of the Year, for an MLS-record $14m fee, charged with filling the gaping hole left in Atlanta by Miguel Almiron.
Without a single goal or assist in his first 13 Atlanta games across all competitions, it’s safe to say his formative months in MLS were a complete disaster.
We don't stop 😤@JustinMeram slices them open and Pity Martínez slams it home! pic.twitter.com/qPftfKMG1p
— Atlanta United FC (@ATLUTD) August 28, 2019
However, despite a huge dip in confidence and public disputes with De Boer, Pity hung in there, and by the end of July, was finally putting up the sorts of numbers we all expected at the start.
Although he still has a tendency to frustrate at times, Martinez has struck up a great partnership with Josef Martinez, which was most recently displayed with Atlanta’s brilliant breakaway goal against FC Cincinnati, and he bagged a goal in the U.S. Open Cup final against Minnesota United.
As far as telling contributions go, they don’t get much bigger than that. And you can only see him getting better from here.
Verdict: Hit