Atlanta United is loaning midfielder Franco Ibarra to another MLS club, Vice President Carlos Bocanegra said Thursday. He said they hope to announce Ibarra’s next club within the next two days. The loan will continue until the end of the season.
A person with knowledge of the situation said Ibarra would either be loaned or transferred to Toronto. The club declined to confirm the destination.
The move was sudden. Ibarra didn’t train with the club Thursday. He wanted to, but was told no, according to the person. He could be seen watching a few minutes before leaving the facility.
Manager Gonzalo Pineda said there was short notice about the loan.
The move was necessary because of MLS’ roster rules. Each team is allowed three Under-22 Initiative signings. Atlanta United has four: Ibarra, Santiago Sosa, Edwin Mosquera and Erik Lopez.
To be roster compliant, it had to trade, transfer or loan one of them.
That it was Ibarra is surprising because the 22-year-old was the only one of the quartet who has become a consistent starters with 17 appearances, including 15 starts, this season. Considering the salaries and lack of playing time for the others, Ibarra may have been the choice by default.
It was the third move made by the club since the transfer window opened Wednesday. The first was the trade of fullback Andrew Gutman, another starter, to Colorado. The second was the signing of central midfielder Tristan Muyumba from a second-division club in France.
Atlanta United (8-5-8) is in seventh place in the East. It will play at Montreal on Saturday. Atlanta United will be without three consistent starters: Gutman, Ibarra and Giorgos Giakoumakis, who is injured.
Ibarra’s loan leaves Atlanta United with two defensive midfielder, Sosa and Ozzie Alonso. Sosa has 13 appearances, including seven starts, this season. Muyumba can play as a defensive midfielder, as can Matheus Rossetto. Sosa has a guaranteed salary of $693,100, according to the Major League Soccer Players Association.
Lopez has made 19 appearances in four seasons. He has a salary of $568,300.
Mosquera, who made 12 appearances last season, was loaned to Defensa y Justicia before the season. However, that loan was canceled a few weeks ago, which is why Atlanta United again found itself with four U22s. He has a salary of $412,000.
MLS rules don’t allow teams to buy out more than one contract per season. Atlanta United used its buyout on Josef Martinez.
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Atlanta United’s 2023 MLS schedule
Feb. 25 Atlanta United 2, San Jose Earthquakes 1
March 4 Atlanta United 1, Toronto FC 1
March 11 Atlanta United 3, Charlotte FC 0
March 18 Atlanta United 5, Portland 1
March 25 Columbus 6, Atlanta United 1
April 1 Atlanta United 1, New York Red Bulls 0
April 8 Atlanta United 1, New York City FC 1
April 15 Atlanta United 2, Toronto FC 2
April 23 Atlanta United 2, Chicago 1
April 29 Nashville SC 3, Atlanta United 1
May 6 Inter Miami CF 2, Atlanta United 1
May 13 Charlotte 3, Atlanta United 1
May 17 Atlanta United 4, Colorado 0
May 20 Atlanta United 3, Chicago 3
May 27 Atlanta United 1, Orlando 1
May 31 Atlanta United 3, New England 3
June 7 Atlanta United 0, LAFC 0
June 10 Atlanta United 3, D.C. United 1
June 21 Atlanta United 2, New York City 2
June 24 New York Red Bulls 4, Atlanta United 0
July 2 Atlanta United 2, Philadelphia 0
July 8 at CF Montreal, 7:30 p.m.
July 12 at New England Revolution, 7:30 p.m.
July 15 vs. Orlando City SC, 7:30 p.m., FS1
July 25 at Miami in Leagues Cup, 7:30 p.m.
July 29 vs. Cruz Azul in Leagues Cup, 8 p.m.
Aug. 20 at Seattle Sounders, 10:30 p.m.
Aug. 26 vs. Nashville SC, 7:30 p.m.
Aug. 30 vs. FC Cincinnati, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 2 at FC Dallas, 8:30 p.m.
Sept. 16 vs. Inter Miami CF, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 20 at D.C. United, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 23 vs. CF Montreal, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 4 at Philadelphia Union, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 7 vs. Columbus Crew, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 21 at FC Cincinnati, TBA
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