Luiz Araujo wants to win MLS title with Atlanta United

Luiz Araujo left a title-winning club with Lille in France because he was in the last year of his contract and he thinks he can win an MLS title with Atlanta United.

“Something I’ve enjoyed my whole life, being a champion,” he said Tuesday. “I’m very happy to be in MLS and show who Luiz Araujo is.”

Araujo, 25, was announced as Atlanta United’s newest player last week for a reported $11.8 million. He is scheduled to begin training with Atlanta United on Wednesday. Club Vice President Carlos Bocanegra hopes that he is available for Sunday’s game against LAFC at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, but that it will depend upon the receipt of his visa.

Araujo is expected to give Atlanta United a boost as it pursues a playoff spot in the final 17 games of the regular season, according to Bocanegra. The team trails Columbus for the seventh and final playoff spot by six points.

“I really hope I’m able to play Sunday,” Araujo said.

Araujo is fit, having gone through part of Lille’s preseason training, which included defeating Paris Saint-Germain 1-0 in the Trophe’e des Champions on Aug. 1 in which he started and played almost 90 minutes.

Araujo, who is left-footed, likes to play on the right so that he can cut onto his left foot. He scored 18 goals with eight assists in 136 appearances with Lille, and four goals with three assists in 28 appearances with Sao Paulo, his first club, in his native Brazil. He also can play on the left, in the middle or underneath the striker.

As part of the team’s due diligence, Bocanegra said he that he spoke with Araujo’s former manager, Christophe Galtier at Lille. Galtier said that Araujo has a great work ethic on offense and defense. Araujo described himself as committed to helping his teammates in those areas. Watching highlights, he appears like a combination of the good parts of Hector Villalba, because of his speed, Pity Martinez, because of ability to high long-range shots, and Ezequiel Barco, because of his dribbling.

“He has invaluables that are great characteristics to have,” he said.

The transfer came together quickly.

Bocanegra said that the club had known about Araujo for a “while.” Bocanegra played in France at Rennes and Saint-Etienne so he had connections.

“This is how it works,” Bocanegra said. “This why we have scouting department, up on the big board the type of players we want to bring in. Really excited we were able to bring him in.”

Araujo said he heard from the club in the days before the window closed Thursday.

He began calling people he knows in MLS, such as Atlanta United’s Matheus Rossetto, and in Sao Paulo.

He said they described to him how the league is improving, the resources of Atlanta United, and the quality of life in the U.S.

“I felt like it was the right move for me,” Araujo said.

Southern Fried Soccer

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