Thiago Almada, during the 2023 MLS season, repeatedly declined to comment on his desire to play in Europe, stating that he simply wanted to focus on his time in Atlanta and see the campaign out.
Well, Atlanta’s season has been over for weeks. And Almada, on Monday, made his boldest proclamation yet of when he’d like to try his trade overseas.
“I want to go to Europe now! Yes, now in this upcoming transfer window, I want to go now,” Atlanta United’s No. 10 said in an interview with ESPN Latin America. “I would like any top league. If I have to choose it’s Premier League or La Liga, but I would like any top league.”
It’s always been a matter of when Almada will head to Europe, not if. But Monday saw him for the first time lay out the fact that he’d like to head over sooner rather than later.
That said, Atlanta United surely aren’t going to let him go unless it’s at an amount that it sees fit. Almada is widely regarded to command a record fee for an outgoing MLS player; the big caution point is Atlanta overplaying its hand and asking for an amount that could be more than teams are willing to give up, further stretching the process out and deferring Almada’s wish to head to England or Spain — leading to a disgruntled player.
Either way, fans may want to plan on Atlanta’s “Starboy” not being here when the 2024 MLS season commences.
“TENGO GANAS DE IRME, QUIERO IR A JUGAR A EUROPA AHORA.” Atención al BOMBAZO de Thiago Almada con respecto a su futuro. Ojo, ya estuvo cerca del Ajax y sus ligas preferidas son la #PREMIERxESPN y #LaLigaxESPN… #GeneraciónF / @ESPNFutbolArg pic.twitter.com/vZDhhVMF8r
— SportsCenter (@SC_ESPN) December 4, 2023