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Atlanta United 2025 Season Preview

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Armchair Analyst's Breakdown

  • Strength: They reportedly spent over $40 million on three new DPs across the past two windows, and added a fourth (kind of – Mateusz Klich plays for Atlanta, but is still a DP on D.C. United’s books!) for pennies on the dollar. So you’d hope the top-end talent is there to run most teams off the field.
  • Weakness: Can they stay healthy and can they build chemistry? We’ve seen lots of super-talented teams, including some in Atlanta, become less than the sum of their parts.

Key Departures

  • Dax McCarty: The midfielder retired after making 523 appearances (third-most in MLS history) across 19 seasons. He has since joined the MLS Season Pass on Apple TV crew.
  • Daniel Ríos: The Mexican striker's loan from Chivas Guadalajara expired. He's now with Vancouver.
  • Tyler Wolff: The homegrown winger was traded to Real Salt Lake, getting a new start in the Western Conference.

Key Signings

  • Miguel Almirón: The club legend is back from Newcastle United, arriving for a reported $10 million fee and add-ons. Expect the Paraguayan star to feature on the wings opposite Saba Lobjanidze.
  • Mateusz Klich: Arriving via a trade with D.C., Klich adds punch to the Five Stripes midfield alongside fellow Polish international Bartosz Slisz.
  • Emmanuel Latte Lath: The Ivory Coast international is Atlanta's new No. 9, arriving from EFL Championship side Middlesbrough FC for a reported MLS-record $22 million transfer fee plus add-ons.
  • Full roster

Projected Starting XI

Atlanta United season preview XI 2025

Predictions

  • Osvaldo Alonso: 1st in Eastern Conference
  • Matt Doyle: 6th in Eastern Conference
  • Miguel Gallardo: 1st in Eastern Conference
  • Michele Giannone: 1st in Eastern Conference
  • Antonella Gonzalez: 2nd in Eastern Conference
  • Sacha Kljestan: 6th in Eastern Conference
  • Kaylyn Kyle: 2nd in Eastern Conference
  • Dax McCarty: 2nd in Eastern Conference
  • Bradley Wright-Phillips: 5th in Eastern Conference

Odds & Ends

  • Head coach: Ronny Deila
  • Stadium: Mercedes-Benz Stadium
  • Last year: 10W-14L-10T, 40 points, 9th in Eastern Conference
  • Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs: Eastern Conference Semifinals