A look at the Atlanta United roster with players most like to play this season:
Miguel Almiron
Position: Midfielder
Home: Asuncion, Paraguay
Age: 24
Twitter: N/A
Appearances/starts: 30/2.
Notable: One of the team's three Designated Players. ... Signed from Lanus in Argentina's first division. … Scored nine goals with 14 assists. … Very fast, has great vision and is tenacious on defense. … Reportedly a target of clubs in Europe.
Mikey Ambrose
Position: Left fullback
Home: El Paso, Texas
Age: 24
Twitter: @mikeyambrose3
Appearances/starts: 7/2
Notable:Very fast and has done well in spot starts at left back. … May see minutes with Atlanta United 2 this season.
Ezequiel Barco
Position: Midfielder
Home: Gobernador Galvez, Argentina
Age: 18
Twitter: @EzeBarco10
Appearances/starts: N/A
Notable: The most expensive transfer in MLS history, Atlanta United paid Independiente in Argentina $15 million for his rights. … Fast and technically gifted, he is considered among the world's greatest young players. … Right-footed, he prefers to cut in from the left.
Andrew Carleton
Position: Midfielder
Home: Powder Springs, Georgia
Age: 17
Twitter: @andrewcarleton7
Appearances/starts: 1/0
Notable: The team's first Homegrown Player signing. … Atlanta United beat out at least one club in Europe to sign him. … A very confident player who plays older than his 16 years.
Franco Escobar
Position: Defender
Home: Rosario, Argentina
Age: 22
Twitter: @FrancoEscobar36
Appearances/starts: N/A
Notable: A big defender with speed, he figures to start at right fullback. … Made 34 appearances in Argentina's first division with Newell's Old Boys.
Jon Gallagher
Position: Striker
Home: Dundalk, Ireland
Age: 21
Twitter: @JonGallagher96
Appearances/starts: N/A.
Notable: Selected with the 14th pick in the SuperDraft after a standout career at Notre Dame. … Had trials with Juventus and Marseille as a youth. … Good with either foot.
Greg Garza
Position: Left fullback
Home: Grapevine, Texas
Age: 26
Twitter: @gmgarza4
Appearances/starts: 26/25
Notable: Purchased from Tijuana in Mexico's first division during the offseason after spending last season with Atlanta United on loan. … A good crosser of the ball. … Scored two goals and five assists.
Leandro Gonzalez Pirez
Position: Centerback
Home: Buenos Aires, Argentina
Age: 25
Twitter: N/A
Appearances/starts: 32/32
Notable: Acquired from Estudiantes in Argentina's first division. … Made more than 100 appearances for clubs in Argentina and Belgium. … Has played for Argentina's youth national teams. … Led the team in yellow cards last season. … Scored one goal and had three assists.
Chris Goslin
Position: Midfielder
Home: Locust Grove, Georgia
Age: 17
Twitter: @chrisgoslin17
Appearances/starts: 0/0
Notable: The team's second Homegrown Player signing. … Has represented the U.S. on a variety of levels of youth national teams. … Product of Georgia United. … Likely to get most of his minutes with Atlanta United 2 this season.
Julian Gressel
Position: Midfielder
Home: Neustadt an der Aisch, Germany
Age: 24
Twitter: @juliangressel
Appearances/starts: 32/24
Named MLS Rookie of the Year after being selected with the eight pick in the first round of the SuperDraft. … Can play most positions in the midfield. … Finished with five goals and nine assists.
Brad Guzan
Position: Goalkeeper
Home: Evergreen Park, Illinois
Age: 33
Twitter: @bguzan
Appearances/starts: 14/14
Notable: Acquired from Middlesbrough in the English Premier League. … Had a shutout streak of 541 minutes, sixth longest in league history. … Good with his feet at distributing the ball. … Made 38 saves in going 6-1-7 during the regular season.
Jose Hernandez
Position: Fullback
Home: Caracas, Venezuela
Age: 20.
Twitter: @JoseRafaelH13
Appearances/starts: N/A
Notable: Left-footed fullback who is good on the ball and a decent tackler. … Represented by same agent for Josef Martinez. … Made 25 appearances in Venezuela's first division … Part of team that made it to finals of U20 World Cup.
Mitch Hildebrandt
Position: Goalkeeper
Home: Livonia, Michigan
Age: 29
Twitter: @Mitchhilde
Appearances/starts: N/A
Notable: A star for Cincinnati in the USL where he was named league goalkeeper of the year in 2016. … 31 starts for Cincinnati last season and helped the team reach the semifinals of the U.S. Open Cup.
Alec Kann
Position: Goalkeeper
Home: Decatur, Georgia
Age: 27
Twitter: @akann90
Appearances/starts: 18/18
Notable: Acquired in the expansion draft from Sporting Kansas City, where he made seven appearances. … Started team's first 18 games before sustaining an injury at Columbus.
Kevin Kratz
Position: Midfielder
Home: Eschweiler, Germany
Age: 31
Twitter: @kevinkratz8
Appearances/starts: 20/5
Notable: Grew up in the Bayer Leverkusen academy in Germany. … Signed with MLS and joined Philadelphia last season. … Was acquired by Atlanta United in a trade. … Excellent at free kicks.
Jeff Larentowicz
Position: Midfielder/Centerback
Home: West Chester, Pennsylvania
Age: 34
Twitter: N/A
Appearances/starts: 33/30
Notable: Re-signed with the team after being one of the key players last season. … Has more than 300 appearances in MLS. … Won the MLS Cup with Colorado. … Can play defensive midfielder or centerback.
Josef Martinez
Position: Forward
Home: Valencia, Venezuela
Age: 24.
Twitter: @JosefMartinez17
Appearances/starts: 20/17
Notable: Acquired as a Designated Player on loan from Torino in Italy's first division. … Can play as a lone striker, second striker or winger. … Scored 19 goals in 20 games … Very fast, a very good leaper and good with either foot.
Chris McCann
Position: Midfielder
Home: Dublin, Ireland
Age: 30
Twitter: @cjmccann7
Appearances/starts: 23/9
Notable: Among the first players signed by Atlanta United. … Spent majority of his career in England, with more than 350 appearances for Wigan Athletic and Burnley. … Has played across the midfield and at left fullback. … May be counted on as a defensive midfielder this season.
Darlington Nagbe
Position: Midfielder
Home: None listed
Age: 27
Twitter: @darlingtonnagbe
Appearances/starts: 27/27 (with Portland)
Notable: Acquired in a trade with Portland, where he spent the previous seven seasons. … An accurate passer and good at escaping pressure, he was Atlanta United's top target within MLS during the offseason. … Has 27 goals and 30 assists in his career.
Michael Parkhurst
Position: Centerback
Home: Cranston, R.I
Age: 34
Twitter: @mfparkhurst
Appearances/starts: 33/33
Notable: Team captain. … Acquired in a trade with Columbus, where he was also captain. … Reads games very well and has formed solid partnership with Leandro Gonzalez Pirez in the center of the defense.
Miles Robinson
Position: Centerback/fullback
Home: Arlington, Massachusetts
Age: 20
Twitter: @_milesrobinson_
Appearances/starts: 0/0
Notable: Selected No. 2 in the first round of the SuperDraft. … All-ACC performer at Syracuse. … An aerial threat on set pieces. ... Didn't make an appearance in league games last season. … Has looked a much better passer in the preseason.
Oliver Shannon
Position: Midfielder
Home: Liverpool, England
Age: 22
Twitter: @Oliver_Shannon
Appearances/starts: N/A
Notable: Spent 13 years in Everton's academy. … All-Acc performer at Clemson. … Selected in the second round of the SuperDraft.
Brandon Vazquez
Position: Forward
Home: Chula, Vista, California
Age: 19
Twitter: @brvndonv
Appearances/starts: 13/0
Notable: Acquired from Tijuana where he was a teammate of Garza. … Has played at striker and as right midfielder. … Had one goal and one assist in 13 league appearances.
Hector Villalba
Position: Midfielder
Home: Buenos Aires, Argentina
Age: 23
Twitter: @titovillalba15
Appearances/starts: 34/34
Notable: The team's first Designated Player. … Is one of the faster players in MLS. … Played at San Lorenzo in Argentina, a club he joined 10 years ago. … Scored 13 goals with 11 assists.
Andrew Wheeler-Omiunu
Position: Midfielder/Fullback
Home: Bellingham, Massachusetts
Age: 23
Twitter: @andrew_w_o
Appearances/starts: 0/0
Notable: Selected in third round of SuperDraft. …. Can play in midfield or fullback. … Captained the Harvard team. … No appearances in league games last season. … May see time with Atlanta United 2.
Romario Williams
Position: Striker
Home: Portmore, Jamaica
Age: 23
Twitter: iam_pavyrgwvii
Appearances/starts: N/A
Notable: Scored 15 goals while on a season-long loan at Charleston last year. … Expected to back-up Martinez, though could see games with Atlanta United 2. … A poacher's mentality, he can also score from long range.
Sal Zizzo
Position: Fullback
Home: San Diego
Age: 30
Twitter: @SalZizzo
Appearances/starts: 23/18 (with New York Red Bulls)
Notable: Expected to challenge for playing time at right fullback. … MLS veteran has 162 appearances and 90 starts in his career.
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