South American player of the year Gonzalo “Pity” Martinez has been acquired by Atlanta United, bolstering a team that won the MLS Cup championship in just its second season.
United announced the long-anticipated transfer on Thursday. Martinez had announced he was leaving River Plate after the Argentine powerhouse won the Copa Libertadores last month and was spotted this week arriving at the Atlanta airport, where he signed autographs for fans.
Terms of the deal were not released, but United reportedly agreed to a transfer fee of $14 million — one of the highest in Major League Soccer history. It’s another sign of the club’s deep financial resources after setting numerous attendance records the last two years.
Read this story now for free
To continue reading, sign up for our newsletter and get unlimited access to WABE.org
You can select your preferences for news and local content. We will never share your email address. Learn how your newsletter sign-up will support WABE and Public Media
