Recapping Atlanta United's whirlwind of an offseason

How we got here.

Atlanta United might be back, y’all. With less than two weeks until the 2025 MLS season kicks off, excitement levels are through the roof as the Five Stripes are set to embark on their ninth campaign as a club.

Just six months ago, it was a bleak time to be an Atlanta United supporter. Garth Lagerwey made the difficult decision to basically pull the plug and kick off the rebuild. Gone were Gonzalo Pineda and Carlos Bocanegra. Thiago Almada and Giorgos Giakoumakis were sold to the highest bidder. The slate was virtually cleaned to set up the 2024 offseason as a pivotal moment in the club’s history.

Chances are you are familiar with most of the monumental moves that were made in the last few months that have shifted the mood so drastically in a positive direction. However, I always find it helpful to those who may not be locked into every piece of news to recap exactly how we got from being knocked out of the playoffs by Orlando City to getting ready to kick off 2025 next weekend.

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Without further ado, here’s everything noteworthy that happened this offseason:

• Following the playoff exit at the hands of Orlando, the Five Stripes announced their end-of-season roster decisions that included declining the option on six players. Those players were: Erik Centeno, Nick Firmino, Ronald Hernández, Franco Ibarra, Jamal Thiare and Tyler Wolff

• Brad Guzan, Santiago Sosa, Jay Fortune, and Efrain Morales had their options exercised

• The club would eventually re-sign Thiare and Hernandez to contracts

• They also agreed to sell Santiago Sosa to Racing Club

• Tyler Wolff was traded to Real Salt Lake for $50,000 in GAM

• Quentin Westberg announced his retirement from professional soccer

This is how the roster looked after the end of season moves shook out:

Goalkeepers (3): Josh Cohen, Brad Guzan, Jayden Hibbert

Defenders (9): Luis Abram, Pedro Amador, Noah Cobb, Matthew Edwards, Stian Gregersen, Ronald Hernández, Brooks Lennon, Efraín Morales, Derrick Williams

Midfielders (7): Jay Fortune, Saba Lobjanidze, Alexey Miranchuk, Edwin Mosquera, Tristan Muyumba, Bartosz Slisz, Adyn Torres

Forwards (4): Luke Brennan, Ashton Gordon, Xande Silva, Jamal Thiaré

• David Tenney was hired as the new Director of High Performance to oversee the club’s sports science department

• The first massive domino fell just before Christmas when the club announced the arrival of Chris Henderson as the club’s new Chief Soccer Officer and Sporting Director

• 17-year-old Dominick Chong Qui signed a deal that sees him join ATL UTD 2 in 2025 with him becoming a Homegrown Player for the first-team in 2026

• Will Reilly re-joined the club as a Homegrown Player after four years in college

• Mateusz Klich was acquired from D.C. United in exchange for Atlanta’s first round 2025 MLS SuperDraft pick

• After an extensive search, the club announced Ronny Deila as its fifth permanent head coach

• Veteran striker Cayman Togashi was signed via a free transfer. He signed a one-year deal with an option for 2026. He will occupy a supplemental roster spot

• Deila announced his coaching staff that includes assistant coach Kenny Miller, goalkeeping coach Elliot Parrish, and the return of Matt Lawrey and Carl Robinson from the previous regime

• Club legend Miguel Almiron was brought back to fill one of the two open DP spots. He was bought back from Newcastle for a fee north of $10 million and signed a contract through the 2027 season with an option for 2028

• Atlanta’s revamped attack was complete with the signing of striker Latte Lath to fill the final DP spot. He was signed from Middlesbrough for a new MLS incoming transfer record of around $22 million

Departures: Erik Centeno, Franco Ibarra, Nick Firmino, Santiago Sosa, Quentin Westberg, Dax McCarty, Tyler Wolff

Arrivals: Miguel Almiron, Latte Lath, Mateusz Klich, Will Reilly, Cayman Togashi

Atlanta United roster (as of Feb. 12, 2025)

Goalkeepers (3): Josh Cohen, Brad Guzan, Jayden Hibbert

Defenders (9): Luis Abram, Pedro Amador, Noah Cobb, Matthew Edwards, Stian Gregersen, Ronald Hernández, Brooks Lennon, Efraín Morales, Derrick Williams 

Midfielders (10): Miguel Almiron, Jay Fortune, Mateusz Klich, Saba Lobjanidze, Alexey Miranchuk, Edwin Mosquera, Tristan Muyumba, Will Reilly, Bartosz Slisz, Adyn Torres

Forwards (6): Luke Brennan, Ashton Gordon, Latte Lath, Xande Silva, Jamal Thiare, Cayman Togashi