The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Eales: Deal unlikely in transfer window
Atlanta United President Darren Eales said Saturday he doesn’t anticipate the team completing a transaction for a player before the transfer window closes Tuesday. Eales said they team has worked to fifi nd a replacement for defensive mid fifi elder Carlos Carmona, who was sold before the season. “The reality is it’s a really tricky window for MLS clubs because everyone else is in the crunch time of their seasons,” Eales said. “You can never saynever, but it’s probably unlikely.” Repeating something he and vice president Carlos Bocanegra have said many times, the team is always looking to improve from transfer window to transfer window. “At this stage, it will likely be more likely the in summer,” he said. Manager Gerardo Martino said weeks ago he hoped the team could fifind Carmona’s replacement during this transfer window, which opened Feb. 7. It will close at 11:59 p.m. Tuesday. Eales declined to discuss Stephane Mbia, who was in Atlanta several weeks ago but didn’t sign with the club. The team can resume its pursuit when the secondary transfer window opens July 10. It will close Aug. 8. The targets will remain the same. “Few areas were looking for,” Eales said. “Defensive mid fielder was clearly an area. Jeff (Larentowicz) has been brilliant, but we will need cover.” Miguel Almiron, afrequent subject of trade rumors is expected to stay with Atlanta United throughout the season. Eales said they have received no official offers for the Paraguayan, who is tied with Josef Martinez for the lead in goals scored (six) in MLS this season. Eales also said they have received no official offers from any MLS teams for any other player. Atlanta United’s roster has its maximum of 30 players. If the team were to trade or purchase a player, it would have tomake a decision with another player to opena slot. It has also filled its each of seven international slots, though they are methods of freeing up slots by using Atlanta United 2’s roster. Though Eales wants to continue to build depth, the team has shown the quality of the roster constructed by Bocanegra and Director of Soccer Operations Paul McDonough throughout the season. In Saturday’s 4- 1 win against Montreal, Kevin Kratz, normally the fifirst sub offff the bench, came on in the 74thminute and scored two goals, both on free kicks. In last week’s 2-0 win at the L.A. Galaxy, Roma rio Williams came into the game and drew a penalty thatwas converted by Almiron. Williams has also scored one goal this season. It’s Atlanta United 2 team in USL filled with is players who have started for the U.S. youth national teams. Atlanta United fielded a full-strength 18 for the first time this season against Montreal. That 18 included Hector Villalba, who scored 13 goals and 11 assists last season, coming offff the bench at the start of the second half. He missed the previous two games because of a strained hamstring. Franco Escobar, a defender who started the fi first three games, also returned from a concussion. He said he felt nervous playing on Saturday because he hadn’t played in more than a month. He said it was his fifirst concussion. That D arlington Nag be and Ezequiel Barco, the team’s two targeted off season acquisitions, have yet to score but the team still leads MLS in goals scored (21) and goal difference (12) shows the standard of the roster.