This is another in a series in which AJC reporter Doug Roberson will begin to look at Atlanta United’s possible player signings and managerial candidates ahead of their 2017 inaugural season in MLS.
You can follow Roberson for news about Atlanta United on twitter @DougRobersonAJC, and bookmark the paper's Atlanta United page.
Here is the series so far:
Liverpool's Kolo Toure, whoh has since signed with Celtic
Manchester United goalkeeper Victor Valdes, who has since signed with Middlesbrough
David Moyes, who has since signed to manage Sunderland
Roberto Martinez, who has accepted the job managing Belgium's national team
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These are players (or managers) who I think may fit the criteria that Atlanta United president Darren Eales and technical director Carlos Bocanegra have laid out:
- They want a team strong up the middle;
- They want Designated Players who want to be in Atlanta and MLS and understand the responsibility of being the first players signed. It is incredibly difficult to build and maintain a culture in a company, it is more difficult to fix a poisoned culture;
Some may be players who probably fall into the level below the Designated Player level and into the Targeted Allocation Money group.
I’m not going to differentiate between those two groups in this series.
I again remind you this reflects my opinions only:
Continuing the series with
Bastian Schweinsteiger
The German midfielder is currently at Manchester United, but likely not for long. The 32-year-old recently said that Manchester United will be the last club he plays for in Europe. That could mean he’s coming to play in MLS. It could mean he’s going to play in China, Australia or somewhere in the Middle East. Who knows?
It seems hard to believe that he is just 32 years old because he has been around forever, making 120 appearances with the German national team before hanging up those boots earlier this year.
He also made more than 300 appearances with Bayern Munich before signing, the club he joined 1998, with the English powerhouse in 2015.
Pros
Well, he’s a winner. He has won the Bundesliga, Champions League and World Cup. He can play numerous positions, including across the midfield or fullback. That would be an asset for Atlanta United, which must still sign more than 20 players.
He has been a vice captain of Bayern Munich and captain of the national team, so his leadership abilities shouldn’t be questioned.
He is good at free kicks, another valuable skill.
Cons
He suffered numerous injuries at Manchester United last season that limited him to less than 20 appearances. That would be a concern, particularly because of the tuf field that Atlanta United will use at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
He is no longer the quickest of cats. (Of course, neither are Steven Gerrard or Frank Lampard, and they are excelling for Los Angeles and NYCFC this season.)
Lastly, there is his salary. Gerrard makes $6.1 million in guaranteed compensation. Lampard makes $6 million. Schweinsteiger would likely want that much, and though he’s won more than either in that English duo, he’s not going to be as familiar to soccer fans in Atlanta, which therefore makes him less of a marketable asset.
Plus, it’s hard to stomach paying that much for a 32-year-old midfielder on an expansion team when there are so many needs that must be filled.
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