Gerardo “TataMartino has returned to Major League Soccer with Atlanta Unitedwho have once again turned to the Argentine coach in the hope of getting back into the spotlight of the competition. As the club prepares its squad for a demanding season, Atlanta United would reportedly sign a contract there Lionel Messi‘s former Inter Miami teammates, who were also part of the 2025 MLS Cup-winning campaign.
After the successful arrival of Emmanuel Latte-Lath and the return of Miguel Almirón, expectations around the Five Stripes in 2025 began to rise. Atlanta United finished the MLS season in 14th place in the Eastern Conference with 28 points, 25 shy of the play-in spots, leading to the dismissal of Ronny Deila as head coach and sets the bar higher for 2026.
As reported by Tom Bogert, Atlanta United will sign 34-year-old Fafa Picault. The Haitian winger canceled his contract InterMiami expired at the end of last season, and after gradually falling out of favor with head coach Javier Mascherano, he headed to free agency.
In this scenario, Atlanta would make another winter addition, with Picault representing an intriguing free agent option. Immediately average team age of 24.8 yearsaccording to Bank scorethe winger (who played 244 MLS games, scoring 60 goals and providing 26 assists) would not only bring depth, but also valuable experience for a young team who did not live up to expectations last season.
Fafà Picault #7 from Inter Miami.
Picault joined the Herons in 2025 after leaving Vancouver Whitecaps on a free transfer and started the campaign as a key rotation piece, sharing attacking duties alongside Messi. The emergence of Tadeo Allende and Mateo Silvetti reduced his role under Mascheranobut he still remained part of the squad that won both the Eastern Conference and the MLS Cup in December, finishing his time in Fort Lauderdale with 28 appearances and four goals.
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Lionel Messi’s possible return date emerges before the start of the 2026 MLS season: will the Inter Miami captain play against LAFC?
Atlanta United and an active transfer window
The signing of Deila on a three-year contract, after his successful spell with New York City FC, initially raised expectations in Georgia. However, the country falls near the bottom of the standings despite one of the largest single-season expenditures in MLS history led the club’s leadership to terminate the Norwegian’s contract and return to their roots with Martinothe first head coach in franchise history.
During his introductory press conference, Martino outlined expectations for both supporters and players ahead of the 2026 season.We believe we have the opportunity to change that dynamic be able to establish (an) identity with the fan base,he said.We believe the players making up this squad have more potential than they showed in the rankings. Adding a few new faces to the team will help us create a competitive group,he added when discussing the squad.
As the coach pointed out, Atlanta United has started a recruitment campaign, focusing mainly on Spanish-speaking players, in a strategy reminiscent of Martino’s first stint. So far, the Five Stripes have secured Argentinian signings Elías Báez, Tomás Jacob and Lucas Hoyos, re-signed Venezuelan Ronald Hernández and added Adrián Gill from FC Barcelona Bwhile the manager wants to build a base of experienced players while integrating youth to shape his preferred style.
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