ATLANTA — Atlanta United on Thursday announced the return of midfielder Miguel Almirón.
United signed Almirón from Newcastle United of the English Premier League to a contract through the 2027 MLS season, with an option for 2028.
Almirón will occupy a Designated Player and international roster spot pending the receipt of his International Transfer Certificate (ITC) and P-1 Visa. Atlanta acquired Almirón’s Discovery Priority from Charlotte FC in exchange for $400,000 in General Allocation Money ($325,000 in 2025 and $75,000 in 2026)
Almirón will be introduced to media on Friday at 3 p.m. at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
“I’m very happy to return to Atlanta United, a club and a city that has always held a special place in my heart,” Almirón said. “I’m grateful to Arthur M. Blank and the entire organization for the opportunity and I’m looking forward to reuniting with the fans at Mercedes-Benz Stadium and creating more moments of joy together.”
Almirón, 30, joined Atlanta prior to the club’s inaugural season in 2017 where he was a two-time MLS Best XI selection, two-time finalist for the Landon Donovan MVP award, two-time MLS All-Star and the 2017 MLS Newcomer of the Year. After helping lead the club to the 2018 MLS Cup title, he transferred to Newcastle in January of 2019 for a then-MLS record transfer fee.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Miguel back to Atlanta United and know we’re getting a top player and someone with excellent character,” Chief Soccer Officer and Sporting Director Chris Henderson said. “He’s a dynamic attacking player with proven success in our league as well as at the highest level in Europe in the English Premier League and UEFA Champions League with Newcastle. We’re pleased to add someone with his talent, experience and competitiveness to our group as we continue to build the roster for 2025.”
During his six seasons with Newcastle, the Paraguayan international made 223 appearances in all competitions, recording 30 goals and 22 assists, including 23 goals in 186 Premier League appearances and one goal in six UEFA Champions League appearances. Almirón made 10 Premier League appearances in 2019 after arriving mid-season and went on to make at least 30 league appearances in each of his five full seasons in England. He enjoyed his best year on both an individual and team level during the 2022-23 season when he recorded 11 goals and two assists in 34 Premier League appearances as Newcastle finished fourth and qualified for the UEFA Champions League.
Almirón was named Premier League Player of the Month for October 2022 after scoring six goals in six matches, including the Premier League Goal of the Month against Fulham on Oct. 1. The following season, he made his Champions League debut against AC Milan on Sept. 19, 2023 and scored his first goal in his first start in the competition the following match, a 4-1 win against Paris Saint-Germain on Oct. 4, 2023.
In two seasons in Atlanta, Almirón appeared in 70 matches across all competitions and scored 22 goals with 30 assists. He was one of only two players to be selected to the MLS Best XI in both 2017 and 2018 alongside teammate Josef Martínez, and the only player in the league to be named a finalist for the MVP award in each season. During the club’s inaugural 2017 season, Almirón scored nine goals and added a team-high 14 assists. In 2018, Almirón scored a career-high 12 goals with 14 assists. The midfielder added a goal and two assists during the playoffs as Atlanta went on to win the 2018 MLS Cup in front of a record crowd of 73,019 fans at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
At the international level, Almirón has started 57 of his 64 appearances for Paraguay and recorded eight goals and five assists since his debut on Sept. 9, 2015. He captained Paraguay for the first time in a friendly against Japan on June 2, 2022. Paraguay’s No. 10 has helped lead the nation to sixth place in the current CONMEBOL standings in 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifying, the last automatic qualifying spot. Paraguay has 17 points through 12 matches in qualifying and is unbeaten in its last six, with Almirón scoring in its most recent qualifying match, a 2-2 draw at Bolivia on Nov. 19, 2024.
