Update, Oct. 18: ESPN's Mexico-based reporter Eric Gomez tweeted out reported updates of the latest between the Mexican national team and Martino on Thursday. Among the information, Gomez reports a deal with Mexico cannot be completed before the end of the MLS season, that the deal is not official, but talks have taken place and terms have been agreed, with Martino also looking into the Mexican youth national teams in preparation.
For the last few months, the future of Atlanta United manager Tata Martino has been up in the air. This week, new reports have emerged that indicate his future is away from the Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
According to David Medrano of Azteca Deportes, Martino will leave Atlanta and become Mexico's next manager in December.
Atlanta technical director Carlos Bocanegra cast doubt on the rumors in a local radio interview hours later.
Martino is the only head coach Atlanta has known in the club's short existence and the Argentine has led the Five Stripes to back-to-back successful campaigns. This season has been even better than last, as his side occupies pole position for the Supporters' Shield with just two games left in the season.
Last month, Martino said his future would be decided "in 15 or 20 days." After those days came and went without a decision, Martino admitted he was in constant discussion with the club, thus removing the deadline.
“It would be a deadline to respect if there hadn’t been any kind of talks, but we’ve been in continuous talks up until this point,” Martino said on Sept. 28. “Because of that, I don’t think we have to make any kind of decision because of the way we’ve been talking about this situation.”
The reports suggesting Martino will be Mexico's next head coach have circulated more persistently of late, though that has not been his only rumored destination. Previous reports have linked the former Barcelona, Argentina and Paraguay manager to several international managerial roles, including Argentina, Colombia and the US men's national team.
