Miguel Almiron reportedly set to rejoin Atlanta for MLS victory lap

Almiron is something of an Atlanta legend. He arrived at the club in 2016 as a 21-year-old with plenty of promise but very little experience. He turned into a world-class winger under the guidance of coach Tata Martino, winning the MLS Newcomer award in 2017 and lifting the MLS Cup with Atlanta in 2018.

European scouts largely viewed MLS as a “retirement” league back then, one where players like David Beckham could earn one last easy paycheck before calling it quits on their careers. It was Almiron’s progression in Atlanta — and his subsequent $25M move to Newcastle United in 2019 — that changed that story for good.

It didn't happen overnight. Almiron faced plenty of pushback in the Premier League before making a name for himself. Manchester City's Jack Grealish famously insulted his teammate, Riyad Mahrez, in 2022 by saying he "played like Almiron."

Almiron responded by having the season of his life, making 34 Premier League appearances and scoring 11 goals for Newcastle United. 

"What a guy," Grealish said as the season progressed. "...When I next play against him, I’ll show him the most respect..."

Almiron’s successful move from Atlanta to Newcastle United set off a chain reaction of transfers from MLS to the Premier League. 

The Chicago Fire’s Jhon Duran earned himself a move to Aston Villa, and Inter Miami’s Diego Gomez found a spot at Brighton. Just this week, New York City FC's 18-year-old left back Christian McFarlane scored a move to defending Premier League champion Manchester City. The Philadelphia Union's 15-year-old wunderkind Cavan Sullivan will join him there when he turns 18, too.

For all his influence on the league's direction, Almiron is still just 30. He has plenty of time left to write a new chapter in his MLS career. It will be fascinating to watch him do it with the club that made him.

Almiron's Atlanta return caps off a remarkable six months from the Georgia side that saw it evolve from an Eastern Conference also-ran to a genuine MLS Cup challenger. The team entered the 2024 season in dire straits, but it sold off its underperforming players, brought in some hardworking new ones and booked itself a spot in the playoffs on the final day of the season. From there, Atlanta pulled off one of the biggest upsets in MLS history by eliminating Inter Miami from MLS Cup contention.

"Everyone's held each other accountable," said Atlanta forward Jamal Thiare after the upset. "...And something great is igniting from this."

With major players like Thiare, Saba Lobzhanidze, Mateusz Klich, Cayman Togashi and Aleksei Miranchuk all lining up alongside Almiron next season, Atlanta looks like a key team to watch in 2025.

The final details of Almiron's Atlanta contract are still being hammered out, but the Paraguayan has already bid farewell to his fans at Newcastle. He's expected to arrive in the United States within the next few days.

Almiron and Atlanta United will kick off their 2025 MLS campaign at home against CF Montréal on Saturday, Feb. 22.