Atlanta United has agreed to transfer terms with Estudiantes for Argentinian defender Leandro Gonzalez Pirez, pending a physical.
Pirez would be the third Argentinian to join the squad along with midfielder/forward Hector Villalba and midfielder Yamil Asad. Atlanta United is managed by Gerardo Martino, also a native of Argentina. When he was hired, club president Darren Eales and technical director Carlos Bocanegra said they hoped Martino could use his contacts as a former player and manager in South America to help build Atlanta United. The squad has also signed Paraguayan midfielder Miguel Almiron and lost out to China on another Paraguayan, Oscar Romero.
The team began training camp in Bradenton, Fla., on Monday.
A story by tycsports.com quotes Estudiantes manager Agustin Alaves saying, through Google translate, that “there is no payment formalities.”
Pirez, 24, is a native of Buenos Aires who made 38 appearances for River Plate from 2011-15. He joined Tigres in 2015-16, making 30 appearances, before signing with Estudiantes, where he made 15 appearances in 2016.
According to reports in Argentina, Pirez has lost his starting spot with Estudiantes. Eales said during the combine that the team’s final DP slot likely wouldn’t be used on a defensive player. Instead, it seems likely that Pirez would join on loan with an option to buy, similar to fullback Greg Garza (Tijuana) and Asad (Velez Sarsfield).
Pirez joins a defensive group that includes centerbacks Michael Parkhurst, Zach Loyd and Miles Robinson, who the team picked second in the recent SuperDraft, and fullbacks Mikey Ambrose, Mark Bloom, Tyrone Mears and Garza. Jeff Larentowicz and Chris McCann also have some experience playing in the backline.
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