Stian Gregersen’s exit from Atlanta United’s 4-0 loss to Inter Miami on Saturday night wasn’t an unfamiliar sight. After attempting to knock a loose ball away from Luis Suarez in the 14th minute, the Norwegian center back clutched his right hamstring and went to ground, with both Suarez and Tristan Muyumba motioning to the bench.
It was just another chapter in what has been a decent but frustrating two seasons for the 30-year-old. When he’s on the pitch, he’s arguably been the best defender for Atlanta United. The key word there is when. Since Gregersen’s arrival, he’s played 3,363 minutes out of a possible 6,480 in the regular season and playoffs (excluding stoppage time), or about 51.8 percent.
- March 17, 2024 – Gregersen started and played 90 minutes in Atlanta’s first three matches of the 2024 season but felt discomfort in the third match against Orlando City. He underwent meniscus surgery and missed six matches.
- May 7, 2024 – Gregersen exits Atlanta’s U.S. Open Cup match against the Charlotte Independence and is placed in concussion protocol, ultimately missing the next match against D.C. United.
- June 2, 2024 – Gregersen comes off injured in the 73rd minute against Charlotte FC due to a left hamstring injury. He misses two matches.
- October 25, 2024 – Gregersen exits Atlanta’s playoff match against Inter Miami in the 34th minute with a hamstring injury. He misses Game 2 but returns as a second-half substitute for Game 3.
- April 19, 2025 – Gregersen leaves in the 31st minute with what is later ruled a quadriceps injury. He is initially ruled out for at least three weeks but ends up missing 15 matches over the span of just over three months.
- October 11, 2025 – Gregersen exits just past the quarter-hour mark after an apparent right hamstring injury.
That’s a significant injury list for any player. But for someone like Gregersen, who’s making $920,000 in 2025 (though his cap hit is closer to $1.35 million with his prorated transfer fee, meaning he takes up around $600,000 in GAM) and is under contract until 2027 with an option for 2028, it’s worth discussing his place on the team moving forward. A buyout would make the most sense if Atlanta were to consider that option: a trade would be prohibitive given his contract and a transfer would be unlikely given the market for a oft-injured, 30-year-old center back would be fairly slim.
That obviously leaves Enea Mihaj and Juan Berrocal as Atlanta’s top CBs. As far as depth, there should be no shortage of options. Does Atlanta swing a trade? Do they bring Noah Cobb back into the fold when his loan with the Colorado Rapids expires? (Of course, trading Efrain Morales to CF Montreal and loaning Cobb out in the first place were questionable moves in the first place, but that’s already been discussed at length here and elsewhere.) Would Sal Mazzaferro be brought in to the first time on a permanent deal?
None of this is to say that it’s a given fact that Stian Gregersen won’t be wearing an Atlanta United kit when the 2026 MLS season begins. But is it worth the risk of keeping him despite his predisposition to injury? As Garth Lagerwey and Chris Henderson face yet another pivotal transfer window, it’s a question that bears considering.
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They have to find cap room. SG is a good target to take out. I mean, they probably just need two more windows and the team will be back to their old form of 2021🤷
I like Gregersen, I like his grit and battle but his injury history is concerning. Is it doom & gloom? Nah, get him into off-season conditioning and work on how to improve and see how next season goes but it is definitely something the FO needs to prepare for. Bring Cobb back and keep him in rotation. Get another academy kid on the horn, maybe exercise your u-20 options that still haven’t been filled.
Another bad contract.
Of only we had young academy products to fill the void.
Oh wait……….
I’m just thinking of how many great, cheap CBs we’ve had and moved on from, only for them to do great things elsewhere.
He’s a good player, but given his injury history and the need to get rid of so many other players (Tristen, etc.), I’m not sure we will be able to trade him or buy out his contract – but if they can, then the FO needs to do so because he is out injured so much!
As he is often injured, considering out current depth, we can’t just drop him without a replacement lined up. Also, as much as I like Cobb, I think he is gone. You would think Atlanta would have already pulled the trigger in recalling him from the loan if it was possible. It is odd to see how most team carry at least 4 CBs for depth, but Atlanta is only carrying 3 true CBs (don’t like to count Hernandez as a CB). Our backline depth overall is so poor..
I am under the impression that it was Deila’s idea too. I seem to remember during the transfer window it was Deila who said how you should only need 3 CBs because you shouldn’t have to sub them out. I don’t know why he/the FO wasn’t thinking about the possibility of both needing to start 3 CBs because our defense is so leaky and needing a backup due to injury.
Best I can think of is that the “4th CB” is supposed to be a defensive minded fullback like Edwards or Hernandez. I suppose that works, if you don’t end up with more than one injured, but you’d think at least for this year they wouldn’t have hamstringed (pun not intended) our defense knowing Gregersen’s history?