Atlanta United fired technical director Carlos Bocanegra last week after the former USMNT player spent nearly a decade in the role.
The move to dismiss Bocanegra comes after several seasons of underachieving in the eyes of many Atlanta fans. While Bocanegra did have early success in building a squad that lifted three trophies in their first three seasons in Major League Soccer, he was a polarizing figure in the Atlanta fanbase after the team struggled to get back to competing for trophies.
Bocanegra played a vital role in the team lifting the MLS Cup in 2018, Campeones Cup and U.S. Open Cup in 2019 thanks to his recruitment in the early days of Atlanta's history.
5. Thiago Almada
Atlanta made headlines in the transfer market when they shelled out $16 million to land Thiago Almada from Velez Sarsfield.
The team was crying out for a quality, creative midfielder and they got just that and more with Almada. Before Almada sealed a $21 million transfer to Botafogo earlier this summer, the 23-year-old went on to tally 23 goals and 33 assists in 77 league appearances for the Five Stripes.
4. Darlington Nagbe
Atlanta acquired Nagbe from the Portland Timbers for $750,000 in General Allocation Money, $300,000 in Targeted Allocation Money and a 2018 international roster spot.
The veteran midfielder spent just two seasons in Atlanta picking up two trophies along the way before departing for Columbus Crew in 2020. Nagbe was a vital part of the team's midfield and early success as an MLS franchise.
3. Brad Guzan
In terms of value for money, you won't find a better deal from Atlanta and Bocanegra after they brought in former USMNT goalkeeper Brad Guzan on a free transfer in the middle of Atlanta's inaugural season.
The former Aston Villa and Hull City goalkeeper has been a stalwart in between the sticks. Guzan is Atlanta's all-time appearances leader with 222 showings keeping 75 clean sheets.
2. Miguel Almirón
One of Atlanta's most successful additions under Bocanegra is Miguel Almirón from Lanus. The $8.3 million fee paid for Almirón turned out to be a bargain.
Almirón would go on to record 21 goals and 28 assists in 62 appearances for the Five Stripes while playing a key role in the MLS Cup victory. His stellar performances in MLS saw him earn a move to Premier League side Newcastle United following the 2018 season.
1. Josef Martínez
It's difficult to mention Atlanta United without also bringing up the club's all-time leading scorer Josef Martínez.
The Venezuela international was brought to Atlanta ahead of the 2017 campaign from Serie A club Torino for just under $5 million. The rest, as they say, was history. No matter who was on the touchline in Atlanta, Martínez was finding the back of the net. He scored 111 goals in 158 appearances for the Five Stripes before leaving as a free agent in 2023.
While his time in Atlanta came to a rather disappointing end, he'll always remain in the hearts of Atlanta fans as he played a huge part in the team's three trophies plus an MLS MVP award in 2018.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Atlanta United's Five Best Signings Under Carlos Bocanegra .
