Five Stripe fans were devastated to learn that rival MLS club Charlotte FC was in discussions to sign one of the club’s former stars, but now it seems that he may be returning to his old stomping grounds.
According to a report by GIVEMESPORT’s Tom Bogert and Ben Jacobs on Wednesday, Atlanta United is in talks with Newcastle United to sign Miguel Almiron. They also report that Almiron is one of multiple targets.
The Athletic’s David Ornstein reported hours later that talks were in an advanced stage and that Atlanta offered “in the region of” $10M — with a “conclusion expected in the coming days”.
The Scarves and Spikes podcast discussed this story on our Wednesday night livestream. Click/tap here to watch.
Almiron, 30, recorded 22 goals and 21 assists in 70 appearances for Atlanta United during the club’s first two seasons. The Paraguayan international helped the team win MLS Cup in 2018 and earned MLS Best XI honors in both seasons with the Five Stripes.
In January 2019, Almiron completed a record-breaking transfer to Newcastle United for an estimated $24 million. He had 30 goals and 12 assists in 221 appearances for the Magpies and helped them qualify to the 2023-24 UEFA Champions League, their first participation in the tournament since 2003.
According to Ben Jacobs, Newcastle is asking for about $10 million. Charlotte held Almiron’s discovery rights and was reportedly pursuing him, but have since shifted its focus to Galatasaray’s Wilfried Zaha and has given Atlanta permission to negotiate for the Paraguayan.
Almiron would presumably occupy one of Atlanta United’s two open designated player spots, with the other reserved for the starting striker the club is working to sign. Atlanta has submitted a $20 million bid for Middlesbrough striker Emmanuel Latte Lath and is currently in talks to sign the Ivorian.
Would you like to see Almiron return to the club? Let us know in the comments below.
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If it happens then we finally have a playmaker that we’ve been lacking since some guy named Almiron left. 😳 Would have loved to see Miggy and GG playing together. Seriously this is a player that is not just a nostalgia move.
Articles reporting personal terms with Miggy are approved.
21 days ago Marcelo posted about Botafogo being in talks with Almiron and this was my response…
I’ll start taking psychic readings on Monday.
“Wouldn’t it be a blast to see (for Atlanta – sorry Marcelo, you just brought it up) Saba in his natural LW position and Almiron on the right?”
You are right. Botagofo has apparently decided Almiron is too expensive.
However, I think he can really represent the recovery of the link between club, fans, and ambition. More than Soviet Mechanic, I thing it would be perfect to bring Josef back. This would be wild, and sell.
Josef has already signed with San Jose.
Newcastle set to accept Atlanta United’s £10m offer for out-of-favour winger Miguel Almiron… with Magpies unlikely to sign a replacement despite Harvey Barnes’ injury
Almiron is said to be keen to return to his former club after six years on Tyneside Club have already rejected offer for another star north of £6m from FenerbahceBy CRAIG HOPE
Published: 04:10 EST, 16 January 2025 | Updated: 04:48 EST, 16 January 2025
Newcastle are set to accept Atlanta United’s offer totaling £10million for Miguel Almiron with a move now expected to be finalised, Mail Sport understands.
However, the club have rejected an offer north of £6m from Fenerbahce for defender Lloyd Kelly and movement on that deal is less likely.
Almiron, 30, is said to be keen on a return to his former club and talks will accelerate this week, ending a six-year stay on Tyneside.
From Daily Mail UK some good comments on the article, the Newcastle fans loved him, praised his effort.
Us Newcastle fans do love him, a select few and the media are driving him out of our club, personally i wouldnt sell him but it looks inevitable
If Miggy comes back…we win the cup….can we build him a statue?
Would have to be the fusion celebration
I’d be. Ok with that.
I’m still excited. Still smiling.
Seems like Miggy is definitely gonna happen. Also sounds like he’s very happy about returning. This team would immediately be a MLS cup fave if Latte also signs.
IF this happens it will almost be worth the slop we’ve suffered through the past few years.
Almost…
It could be real sellout on opening day
It’s not just his productivity I miss. It’s his personality and embrace of the fans, his style, and his emotions on the field. I would love to have him back.
I wish Nufc as a club adopted fans like yourself after the saudi led takeover, appreciate a great player
The opening game Benz would absolutely go freaking nuts if they pull off Miggy and Latte. You might see some tears of joy.
i’ve already got my tickets and am prepared to lose my voice if this happens.
Alright, if we can pull this and Latte off… Watch out MLS.
This would be amazing!!
Front line:
Miggy ELL Saba
Miranchuk
100% ALL IN!
I would still rather see Miggy as our #10 but that’s because of my feelings for how we’re using Miranchuk as a #10…I just don’t see it (at least not yet). I know miggy can play winger, but he knows how to dictate and control the game and he can only do that as a #10.
And it looks like Matt Doyle and I share a very similar take on the situation:
It’s a great thing that Miranchuk and Miggy are flexible. They could try out both options. When Miggy played the 10 for us he hung out on the left side anyway.
I was thinking this too, like having both as options as winger and #10s give us flexibility, but they’re also drastically different players, so they wont step on each others toes like a barco and pity and Moreno would.
Bogert suggests Delia would play Miggy on the right wing and Saba on the left. Allows both the ability to cut inside on the dominant foot. Aleksey in the traditional 10 facilitator role. But that also allows him and Migs to invert and switch positions tactically as desired.
I can get on board with this.
I’ll go a step further.
Miggy ELL Saba
Miranchuk
Slizs Fortune/Klich
Amador Williams Stian Lennon
Guzan
Give me someone other than Lennon and I’m pretty happy with that lineup. I kinda miss the South American influence we used to have, but not so much that I’d refuse this lineup
Well, I think we could use him on the wing. Can you imagine Saba, new striker and Miggy plus Miranchuk’s splitting passing? He still has a good 3 to 4 years left in him
I wonder if the injury he sustained caused him to fall out of favor and new guys came in and filled that roll. And now that he’s hurt and “old” he would then be set off to a retirement league. What better place than MLS! 😀 I kid, mostly, but am still serious, he can still thrive in a league like ours.
Wait, did we have a sell on clause as part of the deal to Newcastle back then 😁
I believe it’s still in effect to the tune of 20% or 25%, which means AUFC could have him for less than pretty much any other club assuming everyone offers NUFC the same amount.
I love Miggy but don’t think you can get the band back together at this point. I don’t think this will end well.
Saba running down the right. Miggy running down the left. Lath dominating up top. Miranchuk connecting the dots at the 10. Klitch running the metronome role at the 8. Slitz bulldogging the 6. Sign me up!
Was just thinking this!!!! Would be the best attack combo we’ve had since…..well, yall know when. I’m all for this!
Stop, my mouth is drooling…
I don’t think it would go badly, but I do think we are going to have some seriously unrealistic expectations floating around out there. He is still a phenomenal player and even though he’s lost his starting spot, he would still tear up a good chunk of MLS talent.. but I worry that people will think signing him means we’re gonna rack up 5 goal games every week or something. I mean, If we do, great!
I agree in that I think he can and would still probably be great, be we also would need to be prepared that’s it’s not going to be the same as 2017-2018. And that’s ok.
Why wouldn’t it be just like 7 years ago? Back when he was 23 instead of 30…
But even 30yo Miggy is better than most MLS wingers and will give MLS defenders nightmares.
Yeah 2017 was 8 years ago. I kind of hate it for Miggy that he might be taking a step back career-wise at only 30 years old, but I’d bet he would still be one of the fastest players on the ball in MLS. First go around, he was easily THE fastest player on the ball in MLS.
Why did he fall out of favor with Newcastle? Just not good enough/didn’t improve enough? Injuries? Something else?
Well, he had a big regression in end production from his 2022-23 season (11g, 2). He had just 3g and 1a in almost 2000 minutes last year. His G+A per 90 were more in line with the CBs and backup FBs than the attackers last year. In just over 1000 minutes last year, Jacob Murphy (the current starter at RW for NUFC) had 3g and 7a. Murphy has 3g and 6a in just over 1000 min so far this season, too. It’s also worth noting that right flank partner, RB Kieren Trippier is not a first-choice option either this year. I think Murphy works better with Livramento at RB.
I think the lack of right foot kind of caught up to him in PL a little, too. I’ve seen him blow shooting chances because he took an extra touch to play the ball on his left to shoot. It’s to the point where I’ve heard the commentators bring it up on several occasions, too. He’s still a good player and good enough to be in PL, but not for a team trying to break into top 4 finishes on a consistent basis (they were really injury bit last year, but as of today’s games have climbed into 4th). Moving back to MLS or a lesser league than PL probably makes sense for him. He’ll be 31 soon and his options are probably to go to a bottom table team or lesser league if he wants to start again. I know he almost went to the Saudi league, at least NUFC had agreed to transfer terms, IIRC, but Almiron didn’t want to go there.
Not at all. What stats fail to mention is that Trippier got 14 assists from the right wing as a wingback however it was always Miggy pulling players away allowing the overlap and his left foot dink through rolling the ball infront of trips to strike the ball with his right and cross got us into europe for the first time in 20 years. A long time out due to injury and mistakes made when coming back from injury had the fans on Trips back and Tino was given the chance. Trippier is streets ahead of Tino but Tino is playing well so keeps his place especially since we have won 9 on the bounce in all competitions. Tino couldnt read the game the same way as Trips so Miggys run wernt interpreted, his passes werent gathered or ran onto and because hes played inverted, his shots were high and wide and the fans got on his back as ive said in other posts, they look for someone to hound out, it was St Maximum, then Wood, now Miggy… fans are screaming out for Wood when Isak gets injured and for St Maxi when we fail to create, be careful what you wish for comes to mind, no doubt Miggy will be sold and Murphys form will inevitably drop off or he will become injured and our european chasing form will die off as wont have Miggy to step up and give us that boost. After Miggy got injured, Howe sheltered him but the media wouldnt let it drop and they cant stop mentioning his name or giving him terrible scores, vs bromley it was only Miggy and Miley who could justify being on the pitch but the media slated him no end.. disgraceful rags and fans on social media are the most clueless, just sheep spitting the same rhetoric thats popular so they get likes and views, actual fans at the match love Miggy, chant his name, cheer fot him.. atmosphere is amazing
We got bought out, a load of new fans jumped on the band wagon and every season they pick a player to drive out, this season its Miggy, its a shame, cracking player, always gives 100%, i wouldnt sell him personally(lifelong nufc fan) but the media and new fans have wiped the smile off his face, last 3 games he hasnt had that big smile of his pasted across his face and seems like he wants to go, just hope he knows the real fans appreciate all he has done for us. I believe hes been hugely mismanaged during his time here, always played on the right despite cutting inside to score goals and the one time played on the left he looked unreal and that was just last summer. Even at 30 you are getting back one hell of a player
My favorite comment from the article I found was something like “Miggy reminds me of a puppy – full of energy and always happy”.
Fits him to a T. We’d all love to have him back.
It shoudln’t be the same as 2017, just like 2018 wasn’t the same as 2017, and like you said it shouldn’t be and that’s ok. We’ve all progressed in our careers, lives, skills, hobbies, etc. He’s had PL experience and brings a new wave of knowledge and skill to something he’s already familiar with. I wouldn’t throw a ton of expectations on him, just that we know what he’s capable of and that the fans will go absolutely nuts when they call his name in the pregame. Like stupid loud in the benz.
Newcastle has gone through a lot of changes since Miggy joined. New owners. Way more money from the Sauds. New coach. New tactics. Almiron is still clearly a DP level player in MLS. He’s not as fast as he was at 23, but he’s smarter and more tactical. He makes more insightful passes now. He’s still a significant upgrade from Xande Silva on the wing. And in addition to all that, he is the single player in realistic acquisition terms that can turn AU’s waning fan interest around on a dime.
Garth Lagerwey has two task to accomplish to be successful in his role. 1) give Ronny Delia players to win with, and 2) put asses back in seats at the Benz. This moves both of those needles in a positive direction.
Now go get Latte Lath.
Getting Miggy and ELL could be the most consequential event since AU winning MLS. My wife still has her Miggy jersey and she’s looking forward so seeing him wearing the Five Stripes again. I am too. Maybe fun is back!
[…] REPORT: Atlanta United in talks to sign Miguel Almiron from Newcastle […]
PLEASE COME HOME MIGGY!
!!!?!
Okay! 😀