Football Season Guide

One of the two new expansion teams to enter into Major League Soccer competition this season, Atlanta United look set for an exciting campaign, and could prove to be a real threat to some of the more experienced sides in the league. Former Barcelona manager Gerardo Martino appears to have assembled a good squad going into the 2017 campaign and his side will surely hope to make an impact in their first season. Playing their home games in the 55,000 capacity Bobby Dodd Stadium, Atlanta have already managed to sell a total of 30,000 season tickets for the upcoming year and look set to have a solid fan base going forward. United have brought in some good players in the off season, most notably splashing out a huge £6.4 million to acquire the services of 23 year old attacking midfielder Miguel Almirón, who looks to be a really exciting prospect. With an additional £2 million spent on youngster Hector Villalba and £1.6 million on Estudiances defender Leandro González Pírez, it’s clear that the Georgian side mean business, and are most definitely taking their first season in the league incredibly seriously. As well as those big money signings, Atlanta have also added a number of players with real MLS experience to their team. Michael Pankhurts and Jeff Larentowicz are two players who know this league inside out, and will therefore add a touch of experience to the side. Zach Lloyd, Mark Bloom and Jacob Peterson are other good signings, providing even more depth to their squad. Opening their season at home to the New York Red Bulls will most certainly be a test for Atlanta, and it will be interesting to see how they adapt in the coming months.