Atlanta United looking to strengthen squad by signing more players

Atlanta United manager Gerardo Martino on Wednesday described his team as being very technical, but unable to get results last year under a different manager.

His message to the players to overcome last season’s franchise-worst finish is to be more competitive, which started during Monday’s first session.

“With respect to the league, games in the league, they’re very physical, so that’s important,” Martino said. “Also, you need consistency and the ability to continue getting up time after time and to keep pushing.”

In addition to more competitiveness, the team also might be helped by signing new players, a topic Martino and sporting director Chris Henderson were asked about several times Wednesday.

The team is looking to add players at central midfield and on the wings, Henderson said.

He said Martino and his staff have been working with Jonathan Spector in international scouting, Arjun Balaraman in analytics and Dimitrios Efstathiou on the budget and negotiating to strengthen the team.

“He has a winning mentality,” Henderson said of Martino. “Players seem to like playing for him, and he has a pull. I think we might be able to pull some players that maybe we wouldn’t have gotten just because he’s our coach.”

Atlanta United already has signed goalkeeper Lucas Hoyos and defender Tomás Jacob and sold midfielder Bartosz Slisz.

“(Lucas) is a player who we think we brought in who can give us some of that leadership and the other qualities that he brings, and also be a good person to have around for Jayden (Hibbert’s) development.”

Henderson said Atlanta United has the money to replace Slisz, who was sold earlier this month, at central midfielder. Should Botafogo’s payment(s) for the purchase of Thiago Almada come in soon, as expected, the team will be able to convert some of those funds into allocation money that can be used to acquire more players, Henderson said.

The team also might have funds if the expected sale of Edwin Mosquera to Santa Fe in Colombia happens. Mosquera is on loan to Millonarios in Colombia. The sale would include a sell-on clause in which Atlanta United could receive funds if Mosquera is sold by another team. The sale to Santa Fe also would free an Under-22 slot, which Henderson said could be useful should the team want to sign another winger. It has only two, Saba Lobjanidze and Luke Brennan, though Henderson said Jacob also could play out wide, as could Homegrown signee Santiago Pita.

Henderson also implied that the team soon will sign an MLS veteran.