This is another in a series in which AJC reporter Doug Roberson will begin to look at Atlanta United’s possible player signings ahead of their 2017 inaugural season in MLS. Some potential signings, like Zlatan Ibrahimovic, may be considered fanciful, and rightfully so. Some may be so practical as to be obvious.
You can follow Roberson for news about Atlanta United on twitter @DougRobersonAJC, and bookmark the paper's Atlanta United page.
Here are the chapters in the series:
Manchester United's Michael Carrick, who is reported re-signing with Manchester United
Victor Valdes, goalkeeper
Formerly of Manchester United
He was the stopper for Barcelona teams that won two Champions Leagues and numerous La Liga titles. His winning pedigree can’t be denied. It’s not clear if his contract is about to expire, or if the club simply doesn’t need him and can sell.
He is reportedly in talks with Spanish club Espanyol.
Pros: Goalkeepers don't age as quickly as field players, so at 34-years-old he could still contribute and mentor the younger keepers and help the defenders with their positioning. Stopping set-piece goals will be of paramount importance for the MLS expansion side.
Cons: He signed with Manchester United and was expected to succeed David de Gea, but made just two appearances, reportedly a result of his complaints of manager Louis Van Gaal's tactics when the two were at Barcelona. It was a feud that seemingly carried over to England. When de Gea ended up staying at Manchester, Valdes eventually loaned to Standard Liege in Belgium, where he made just eight appearances..
MLS teams typically don’t spend a lot of money on goalkeepers, so it would be surprising to see Atlanta United do so, and I would imagine it would take at least TAM money to lure Valdes to the U.S.
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