Transfer Window needs: Eastern Conference update with two weeks left
Have the Fire done enough to join the inner circle of contenders? Is a rebuild on the way for Orlando in the Griezmann era? And what was Bradley Carnell thinking???
There’s less than two weeks left in the transfer window. Lots of work has been done since we took a look at the start of the window, about a month ago, so now feels like a good time to jump back in and figure out what’s left.
For quick reference, here’s the previous columns:
The official closing date is September 2, which is just after the closing date for most of Europe’s biggest leagues.
West was yesterday. East is below. Let’s jump in:
Atlanta United
- Biggest move so far: They got out of the Emmanuel Latte Lath business (hopefully for good)
- Biggest Need: For the young midfielders to keep giving this team an actual structure.
- Roster Model: DP model thus far, but with ELL gone and no replacement yet here, they actually could go U22.
- Premium Slots Available: One DP slot is currently open.
They've already tried to sign an Latte Lath replacement in Breel Embolo. It might get done, or it might not, I guess? The reports of him signing with Ipswich Town were reportedly overblown, and then the reports of that being overblown were reportedly overblown, and yadda yadda yadda. I love transfer season but I think I'd drown myself if I had Tom's job.
Anyway, more than a direct replacement for Latte Lath, what they really need is for Adrian Gill, Cooper Sanchez and Tristan Muyumba to keep making central midfield looking like an actual thing. Maybe new U22 signing Mauricio Amaro (I've never seen him play, but smart folks around the league say he's really good) can pitch in as well. My theory is that if central midfield keeps looking pretty good, then the rest of the team will keep looking pretty good, and whatever forward they spend $20 million on will probably succeed. If, however, central midfield falls apart, then everything else will fall apart, and it won't matter if they signed Embolo or Erling Haaland or 2017 Josef Martinez or whoever. It won't work.
They really should just hijack the Darwin Nuñez loan, though. That'd be fun. That said, I'm putting my money on "Breel Embolo, new Atlanta United DP" announced in the next week.
