Atlanta United cleans house in transfer market

Atlanta United have transferred midfielder Thiago Almada to Brazilian Botafogo for what it said was an MLS record fee.

According to The Athletic, Atlanta United will receive $21 million for Almada and up to $30 million if additional conditions are met. Almada’s final destination is expected to be French club Lyon, another subsidiary of John Textor’s Eagle Football Holdings empire.

The Almada deal is just one of many big wins for the Five Stripes:

• Giorgos Giakoumakis: The 2023 MLS Rookie of the Year has been sold to Cruz Azul of Liga MX for a fee that The Athletic reports is $10 million.

• Ezequiel Barco: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that the Argentine was sold to River Plate for $11 million in January, and Atlanta United will receive a resale percentage of his $16 million transfer to Spartak Moscow.

• Caleb Wiley: US Olympic left-back Caleb Wiley will be sold to Chelsea for $11 million and then loaned to French club Strasbourg, according to English reports.