Almada joins Botafogo from Atlanta United for MLS record fee

Atlanta United completed the transfer of midfielder Thiago Almada to Brazilian Premier League club Botafogo for an MLS-record fee on Saturday, the club announced Saturday.

The club confirmed that the transfer fee was a record, but did not specify a specific amount. According to The Athletic, Atlanta United could receive $21 million, or even $30 million if conditions are met.

The 1.70m Argentine player Almada is expected to leave Brazil this winter. Botafogo is part of Eagle Football Holdings, which also manages Lyon in the French Ligue 1 and Crystal Palace in the English Premier League. He is expected to join Lyon in January.

Now 23, Almada was transferred to Atlanta in February 2022 for a reported $16 million from Velez Sarsfield of the Argentine Primera Division. He went on to win the 2022 FIFA World Cup with Argentina and will play for his country at the Paris Olympics that begin later this month.

“We spent over a year recruiting Thiago to join Atlanta United and during that process we agreed that our club could provide an excellent platform to showcase his abilities and that he would have the opportunity to continue his development until the time was right for him to move on to the next challenge,” Atlanta vice president and technical director Carlos Bocanegra said in a press release.

Almada played 77 regular season games (72 as a starter) for Atlanta United, scoring 23 goals and providing 33 assists. He was named MLS Newcomer of the Year in 2022 and MLS’s Top Young Player the following year.

“His success is something we are all proud of and we owe a lot of credit to our scouting department, in addition to everyone who has worked with him at the club,” Bocanegra said. “Our team has prepared for this move and we will look to immediately reinvest in the team in the upcoming summer transfer window.”

Atlanta United also sent Giorgos Giakoumakis to Liga MX club Cruz Azul for a reported $10 million, giving the club the ability to add players when the secondary transfer window opens from July 18 to August 14.

Atlanta United (6-9-6, 24 points) sits ninth in the MLS Eastern Conference. They will face Real Salt Lake on Saturday, one of four games remaining before a month-long break for the Olympics.