Atlanta United: 2018 Season Preview

The Atlanta United Are Back! Here Is Everything You Need To Know For The 2018 Season.

It’s obvious Atlanta United’s expansion year was a success. In 2017, ATLUTD finished 4th in a strong East and were inches from 2nd and a first-round bye with plenty of weird bounces that could've gone either way. That’s a successful first year, and we are here to tell you that's only going to get better in 2018 unless you are an Orlando City fan. Unlike many expansion franchises with 1st-year success, the team did not rest in the offseason....

What Happened In The Off Season

Two of Atlanta United’s biggest strengths is its ownership and front office. Owner Arthur Blank has not been cheap. Having shelled out huge sums to build the inaugural roster and house it in a space-age training facility last year, his checkbook remained wide open this off-season. That allowed the team’s extremely ambitious and capable front office team to do numerous things once the season came to an end, namely: Acquired midfielder Darlington Nagbe from the Portland Timbers in what will be a record intra-MLS transfer deal totalling $1.65 million if all incentives are met. Acquired defender Franco Escobar from Argentina’s Newell’s Old Boys  Acquired midfielder Ezequiel Barco from Argentina’s Independiente in an MLS record-smashing $15 million deal that was easily the off-season’s biggest drama. Established a USL team creatively named ATL UTD 2. Yes, that’s the official name. Get it right. They are kinda picky about it. The team also spent $1.7 million for priority buying rights over the next two transfer windows on winger Lucas Rodriguez of Estudiantes.

Departures

With 3 major signings and a slew of new talent scored in the MLS SuperDraft, the team had to let some people go. Here is a rundown on some key changes from last year's roster. Left winger Yamil Asad was on a single season loan and went back to his home club Velez Sarsfield Right back Anton Walkes was also on loan and returned to Tottenham Hotspur. The biggest loss was Chilean defensive midfielder Carlos Carmona who requested, and was granted, a transfer back home, going to Colo Colo. Carmona’s wife is expecting their first child and the couple wanted the child to be born in their native country.

How Is The Team Expected To Fare In 2018?

In its sophomore season, Atlanta is not going to creep up on anyone unawares. The team’s preseason rankings are strong; most observers rate them as the second or third best team heading into 2018. Expectations for the squad are through the roof (possibly literally if the engineers don’t figure out the problems with Mercedes-Benz Stadium’s retractable roof), both locally and around the league. It would seem that after making the playoffs as an expansion team and with the roster moves over the off-season, anything less than the Eastern Conference Championship would be a disappointment. However, that is not an easy task. Teams across the league have made significant improvements to their rosters and what was already a very strong Eastern Conference is likely to be more so this year. But what we can confidently predict is this: Atlanta United is going to be fun. If you haven't been to a game yet, it's a must for any ATLien, even if you don't like futbol. The teams' supporters create an atmosphere that is more electric than an SEC tailgate at a rivalry game and unlike many other major sports fans are not disrespectful or obnoxious. In our opinion, it's probably one of the nicest atmospheres for a family in the entire city.

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