RUMOR: Atlanta United negotiating with veteran free agent fullback?
A former Napoli stalwart is said to be an option for the Five Stripes.
Just when you thought silly season was about to die down, there’s another rumor to chew on. According to Antonio Petrazzuolo of Napoli Magazine, Atlanta United are “in advanced negotiations” to sign veteran fullback Mario Rui.
The 33-year-old is a stalwart of Serie A, spending the last six seasons with Napoli, including their Scudetto winning season in 2023. His contract with the club ran out at the beginning of January and he’s free to sign with whatever club comes calling.
Normally, we’d wait for a more reliable source to relay this type of rumor. However this one passes the smell test on pure logistics alone. The rumor originates from the player’s previous club where he’s spent a lot of time. It also makes a ton of sense for Atlanta United who are in need of fullback depth. Rui is predominantly a left back. With Pedro Amador nursing a hamstring injury and Brooks Lennon remaining out of action for several months, a short-term, low risk addition to the squad makes all the sense in the world.
As with every rumor, take this with a grain of salt. But this one feels worth passing along as it just makes sense.
We must have been really good last year considering all of the gifts we're getting this off-season. Low risk signing. Provides needed depth and spot starts. I approve of this rumor!
gonna push back a bit on “makes a ton of sense”. while it is true that depth at fullback is a concern he is on 3.5 million & would need to agree to deep paycut further left Napoli by mutual agreement is not a ringing endorsement