Atlanta United’s main focus over the past few weeks has been their playoff run as they prepare to face Orlando City in an Eastern Conference semifinal on Sunday. But a massive offseason awaits the team as a new head coach and general manager will be hired, while new players arrive as Garth Lagerwey continues to shape the roster in his image.
Could one of those players be from River Plate, which has been essentially a pipeline for Atlanta?
According to multiple reports, Atlanta United and Austin FC are interested in signing River Plate and Chilean international center-back Paulo Diaz. River Plate are reportedly looking for $4 million for the 30-year-old, who has logged 181 appearances across all competitions for the Argentinian power since 2019.
Diaz went through the Cobreloa, Audax Italiano, and Palestino academies, signing for Palestino’s senior team in 2013. He then spent 2015 with Colo Colo before leaving his native country to play for San Lorenzo in Argentina. In 2018, he moved to Al-Ahli in Saudi Arabia before returning to Argentina to play for River in 2019, where he’s formed a CB partnership with former Atlanta man Leandro Gonzalez Pirez. Diaz has also been a mainstay in the Chilean national team setup, winning 50 caps since 2015.
What does this mean for Atlanta United? The team already has a steady CB duo of Derrick Williams and Stian Gregersen, with plenty of depth options: namely Luis Abram and Noah Cobb, with Efrain Morales waiting in the wings. How much would Diaz command in the way of salary if he does move to MLS? It’s worth noting that Abram making over $871,000 but has been limited in his impact with the team, and his could be a contract worth offloading in favor of a more reliable contributor.
We’ll keep you posted on any new developments, but this certainly isn’t the last rumor we hear involving this team.
Sure would be good to have a coach that could you know…pick some players for the team at some point? Who wants to come in with no real say in players at all?
Fire up the Tata rumor mill…
I know Curtain has good experience, maybe more than any of the other decent options right now, but I just can’t get over my distaste for him. I liked Vieira as an option pretty well, but since he’s out, I’m not sure who I’d want between Valentino and Tata. Tata still has all the things that made him a home run choice back in 2017, but I don’t know that this team can dedicate itself to matching his vision anymore. Plus, he has a stubbornness that’s beaten him a few times, including by Valentino and us in general this year. For all Valentino’s faults and inexperience, he still lead a team to beat Tata and Messi & co. in the playoffs.
Curtin wouldn’t maybe be a splashy hire, and his stalling tactics and shade thrown at AUFC and fans have made him a villain over the years. However, he’s done remarkably well at Philly when you account for how little they spend. I think the biggest concern with him is that he’s a bit inflexible. Though, I think on the lineup side of it, you could point to the lack of resources and poor benches. Tata was stubborn AF until the 2018 playoffs rolled around. We still won a ton with stubbornness, but it let us down some, too. With Rob, I’m still not 100% on board. I mean if he gets the job, I’ll root like hell for him to succeed. I’m just trying not to get too carried away with the success vs Miami in the playoff. Pineda oversaw the 3-1 ass kicked we gave them in Miami just a week before he was sacked. I think our team is just a matchup problem for them, and to both coaches’ credit, we didn’t get overly conservative and worked to exploit their weak defense. Lagerwey’s solid roster building in the back and midfield probably did most of the heavy lifting.
Bringing back Tata, even if you know it’s likely only a 2-3 year rental would be preferable. He’s more experienced and has won more than those two coaches combined. I think the problem with Curtin or Rob is you kind of have to talk yourself into it. Maybe even Tata for some. I don’t think Curtin or Rob are the clear answer to “are they the best possible coach AUFC can get” when both come with a number of points you have to work around.
Regardless, I’ll be rooting like hell for the next guy to be wildly successful. I’m sick of watching our club flounder around.
This seems unnecessary unless TWO things happen: 1) Abram is offloaded AND 2) we are planning to put more emphasis on a back 3 default formation.
Currently, we have options on options on options for a CB pairing – Stain and Gregersen plus Abram, or Cobb, or Morales, or even Hernandez when needed. Seems like a lot of CBs on the roster to play a back 4. Even replacing Abram would give us 5-6 CBs.
But if we ARE anticipating a new default formation in 2025 (3 CBs instead of 2), does that mean we have a preliminary coaching hire decision? Maybe a silly thought, but why would we be looking at pieces for the one area of the field we have plenty of depth already? RV has seemed to favor a back 3 more frequently than GP ever did. Idk.
Even if we move on from Abram a year early from the end of his contract, I don’t think this move makes sense. Cobb has earned the opportunity to be one of those three CBs. I would prefer that the club look at veterans in MLS Free Agency and the Waiver draft. We also have Nigel Prince, Kaiden Moore, and Matt Edwards.
I think you’re dead on. Abram isn’t going to start over Stian or Williams, and the young (and really cheap guys) are plenty good enough to sub in and should continue to improve. Abram is very expensive for a depth piece, and one that isn’t especially reliable, IMO. I’d be happy flipping him for an MLS vet that is maybe past prime age, but still has tread on the tires. I like Morales and Cobb, but would rather have another CB with some experience available if/when Stian or Williams aren’t available.
Agreed, Tim Parker might be a good option if NE don’t resign him and/or we could bring back Josh Bauer if Nashville can’t make a deal.
I know Bauer is a prime-age player but Cobb is a better player with a higher ceiling. I liked having Bauer here (I even picked him in the mock draft back on DSS) and wish we had kept him back in 2022 but Cobb has passed what Bauer can offer the team and it would stunt Cobb and Morales’ development to bring in another guy who needs minutes and is still trying to build his career.
Parker, Hedges, Gonzalez, or another older guy who is coming in with the understanding of being a short-term mentor/fill-in guy would make a lot more sense.
This doesn’t make sense to me. Suppose the club is concerned about Abram’s total cap hit of $954,296 and is looking to replace him. In that case, I don’t know why we would go out and sign another guy who would likely require the same if not more of a cap hit and an international roster slot for a part of the roster that doesn’t need an expensive upgrade.
We have a really good group of CBs on the roster of which most clubs would be envious. Gregersen, Williams, Cobb, and Morales are pretty solid as a 4-man group even without Abram. Add in future CB prospects like Kaiden Moore and Nigel Prince along with several other intriguing prospects in college and in the academy, we don’t need this guy. I would prefer that we look at MLS free agency or the waiver wire to find another affordable veteran option like Williams for 2025 who doesn’t block Cobb.
I think it is fine if the price is right, but I think our CB depth is probably last on the list of needs for this team. Would be better to look for a striker or even a DCM to replace Dax.
I don’t think the price is right though. Diaz is under contract with River Plate through 2027 and will require an international roster spot on top of a transfer fee. If we are planning to sign two DPs (and maybe more TAM and U-22 players) this winter, we will need those international roster spots. If the club is considering this move, we would be better served keeping Abram through the end of 2025 when his contract runs out.
Right now we have 9 guys in those spots: Abram, Amador, Gregersen, Lobjanidze, Miranchuk, Slisz, Silva, Muyumba, and Thiare. Several of them could be green card eligible in theory but we don’t know what the visa office process will look like in 2025.
I agree with you that allocating resources towards our starting 9 and Dax successor would be more prudent.
yea, I doubt we would get him for cheap. Maybe his agent or River Plate is just trying to use Atlanta United to get more money from Austin FC?
The club is now allowed two contract buyouts per season and they have a pile of cash from transfers. If they think this guy is better than Abram I can see the logic.
Cobb has a small amount of pro experience (though promising), and the other academy prospects (Morales and the others you mention) are completely unproven within MLS. I don’t mind this so long as Abram is bought out.
I don’t think the two buyouts have been officially made official yet.
And I don’t think we will be buying out Abram, anyway, since he has a comparatively cheap contract for a starter that could be attractive to another MLS club or in Liga MX.
I prefer our #3 or #4 CB to be an inexpensive MLS veteran who doesn’t require an international slot.
When it comes to the younger guys, they will never become proven if they aren’t given a chance to prove themselves as the #3, #4, and #5 CBs if they have shown they are ready in training and when called upon. Cobb has shown he is ready to have a more prominent role and would be a starter at other clubs. We are lucky to have Williams and Gregersen healthy and playing well and lucky to have a few affordable and young talents being them. Morales is still unproven but that’s why I have him behind Cobb. Prince and Moore probably spend the year with the 2s with Morales bouncing between the two.
I think Abram could even end up being a player Atlanta does not protect for the expansion draft and end up getting picked up by San Diego. There is always a demand for a left footed CB
That’s a scenario where I think we try to trade him to San Diego ahead of the Expansion Draft for GAM and a gentleman’s agreement that they don’t draft any of our other guys.