After conceding 34 goals in 18 games, Atlanta United appears keen to bolster its backline this summer transfer window.
According to GIVEMESPORT’s Tom Bogert, the Five Stripes are close to a deal for Albanian international center back Enea Mihaj, whose contract with Famalicao from the Portuguese first division runs out this summer.
Mihaj, 26, would join Atlanta on a free transfer and be eligible to play upon the opening of the secondary transfer window on July 24. He had 29 appearances for Famalicao during the 2024/25 Liga Portugal season, where he helped the team keep 12 clean sheets. He also brings an important leadership quality, having been the club’s captain this season after just three years at the club.
With 19 caps for Albania, including six UEFA Nations League games and three World Cup qualifiers, Mihaj offers valuable international experience. He has been called up as recently as March 2025, so he could be yet another player Atlanta misses during international breaks.
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Highlights
From some of his game footage, Mihaj appears to be a skillful ball-playing center back who is capable of playing accurate long balls and eye-catching penetrating passes from his own half. He also seems to have a high level of awareness on defense, tracking runners into the box and clearing away any dangerous balls aimed their way.
What do you think of this potential signing? Let us know in the comments below.
[…] REPORT: Atlanta United nearing deal to sign center back Enea Mihaj […]
[…] What do you think of the Five Stripes’ first addition of the summer? Let us know in the comments below, and read our original article on Mihaj for more information. […]
Enea Mihaj If you’re listening it’s a trap don’t come here it’s not what you think it is.
Listen, we’re sucking eggs right now but this kind of mentality won’t fix anything.
Obviously an area of need but … why is no one else interested in him? We can’t be able to throw super significant levels of cash at him since our DP slots are filled. Was anyone else even looking at him?
(Slightly jaded and bitter)
most of the times, players are DP level because of the transfer fee not their annual salary. this guy is free agent, so he can sign anywhere. also that means he is technically cheaper for the team signing him since the team does not have to pay his former team for the rights.
To add onto this, the DP tag factors in both salary AND transfer fee. Because he is coming in on a free, Atlanta wouldn’t have to worry about the latter part and can offer him a higher salary without making him a DP.
His wages over the last few years have been under $300k each year. I expect this player to be closer to Amador in wages than Abram, let alone Gregersen.
There are apparently teams in Greece and Turkiye interested. Curious why the Celta Vigo deal over the winter fell through though.
Would be cool if the supporters section sang Coaches song from Cheers – you do have to be relatively old to know this:
https://youtu.be/-F_tT-q8EF0?si=OKkaWy5V-eliOtXO
Never tried linking anything so hopefully this works.
I guess I am relatively old. Rumor has it Albania’s chief export is chrome.
I’ve been excited about signings before. Remember when Stian came onboard? Remember when Slisz came onboard? Remember when (fill in the name) cam onboard?
I’ll believe it when I see it.
Ugh, finally we get the Nagbe replacement. Been waiting for this forever
Hopefully, he would play well for us – certainly we need a CB, and a defensive mid.
lol, kind of unrelated, but AUFC just announced that Williams is out for like a month because of a foot injury. I hope Gregersen is back soon. Or, it’s time for Cobb, Edwards, and Morales to step up and prove they’ve been the answer all along.
I don’t think there’s an “or” there. Williams and Gregerson are out, and New Guy can’t start until the end of July. The Homegrowns are going to have to step up for the next month or so.
Luis Abram, Cobb, Morales, and Edwards are our CB depth right now, so I expect the kids to get a lot of meaningful minutes to play, make mistakes, and grow. It will be interesting to see whether Gregersen plays in June.
This incoming CB supposedly mostly lines up at LCB, so that could help us move on from Abram. If we continue with 3 at the back, I could see us playing Abram – Cobb – Edwards or Abram – Morales – Cobb with Edwards at RWB. I am curious whether we play Abram a lot to advertise him for a move, or if we platoon him with some kids to get them minutes.
A free transfer! That get’s me excited 🙂
definitely will be useful especially if we stay with the 3 CB system, so we just need to hold out until the transfer window opens up.
It’s amazing and sad how much apathy this season has produced in me to the point where I saw this and my first instinct was “who cares?”
But I’m glad I powered through and came to check it out and see the highlights. He looks like he would be a good addition. But as another commenter recently stated last week, “I’m in show me mode now,” so I’m not going to get too excited about this just yet. The club will start getting pats on the back again when they’ve earned them.
I’m right there with you. Normally, I’d be excited about transfer news. Especially for a player that looks like he fits the bill on paper. We have a lot of paper lions that aren’t working well together, though. I am encouraged by Mihaj, because it appears he can play with the ball at his feet either under pressure or playing with vision to hit long passes to spring attacks. We will see if that’s what we get.
At first glance, it’s shades of Parkie on the defensive side but I’m not sold on him helping as much on progressing the ball up the pitch.
The cynical side of me cant help but point out how humorously bad the timing is. We already have had to make the switch to 3 at the back in large part due to not having adequate depth at fullback (and perhaps more broadly not being very good).
A team thats conceded 34 in 18 should be excited at the prospect of a defensive signing. But with Gregersen and now Williams out, we’re going to be in presumably worse shape even with the signing compared to the start of the year.
All at a time when we need to win 2 in a row AND for New England to drop their next 4 just to get into a tie for 11th.
Ugh
If he can plug the sieve then I am all for it, especially if it’s on a free. Also if he can stop his teammates from making stupid mistakes with square balls to the opposition in the back that’s a bonus. This team is in desperate need front to back. Let’s at least stop the opposition from scoring to give us a chance up front. The front and midfield are different stories to be discussed later.
Edit: “Let’s at least stop GIVING goals to the opposition”