When it comes to the transfer market, sometimes you get what you pay for.
Atlanta United broke the MLS transfer record to sign Thiago Almada this past winter, and the 21-year-old playmaker was named the MLS Newcomer of the Year on Tuesday.
A reported $16 million fee brought Almada to MLS from Argentine club Velez Sarsfield. While some of Atlanta’s other big-money moves have not paid off so quickly, Almada put up six goals and 12 assists as the centerpiece of an attack that — aside from him — seemed plodding or distracted throughout a 2022 season that saw the club miss the playoffs.
Teams entered every game knowing that stopping Almada would pretty much shut down Atlanta’s attack, and yet he continued to stand out in a consistently strong first season in the league. That play has already been recognized, as Almada pulled off the rare-in-MLS feat of earning a debut for the Argentina national team in September.
Thiago Almada is one of a kind. 💎🇦🇷 pic.twitter.com/DifxFr21BC
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) October 25, 2022
Only five players had more key passes than Almada’s 73, and that list includes 2021 MVP Carles Gil and 2022 MVP candidates Hany Mukhtar and Luciano Acosta. Per American Soccer Analysis, his 8.01 expected assists were fifth-best in the league this season.
MLS players and technical staffers both sided with Almada, with the technical staffers in particular providing the votes that pushed him to the win. Media voters leaned heavily towards runner-up Cucho Hernández of the Columbus Crew, and New England Revolution goalkeeper Djordje Petrović.
It’s the second time an Atlanta player has taken the award, and the last one (Miguel Almirón) turned out to be a game-changing signing not just for the club, but for MLS as a whole.
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