Atlanta United completes transfer of Thiago Almada to Eagle Football Group for MLS record transfer

Atlanta United's best player is finally on the move as Atlanta United looks to re-tool its crop of Designated Players.

via Atlanta United

Atlanta United announced today the conclusion of a transfer saga that reached a crescendo over the past two weeks, completing the transfer for a reported $21 million with potential to rise to as much as $30 million to Eagle Football Group.

Eagle Football Group is a business entity that principally controls several clubs around the world. Eagle Football Group will register Almada first with Botafogo in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where he is expected to play through at least the remaining calendar year. He is then expected to move to one of Eagle’s other clubs — likely Olimpique Lyon — sometime in 2025. EFG also controls Crystal Palace in the Premier League.

The financials on the deal leave Atlanta with a decent profit, as Almada was reported to have been signed as part of a transfer worth ~$16 million in 2022. The club could nearly double it original investment if Almada performs to trigger the escalators embedded in the deal. Major League Soccer is claiming the deal as its new league record outgoing transfer.

Almada’s time in Atlanta was prolific on an individual level, but the club’s on-field failures means he leaves without having won any trophies during his tenure. Almada finished Atlanta United’s 2023 season tied atop Major League Soccer’s goals + assists leaders alongside League MVP Lucho Acosta. Almada struggled for much of the current campaign, but finished by scoring in three of his last four matches with the Five Stripes.

The transfer now means Atlanta United President Garth Lagerwey and the technical staff beneath him have two full Designated Players to add in the upcoming MLS transfer window, which opens July 18.