Sounders compensated for Atlanta’s signing of Paraguayan playmaker

Atlanta United made another big signing on Monday, officially revealing that Paraguay’s Miguel Almiron will join the expansion team on a Youth Designated Player contract for the 2017 season. United reportedly paid around $8.5 million to complete the transfer of the 22-year-old from Argentina’s Lanus. Not included in that number is the $50,000 in Allocation Money they reportedly had to send the Seattle Sounders, who apparently had an active Discovery Claim on the player.

Although there had been no previous reports of the Sounders’ interest, we had speculated Almiron might be a player on their list as he was the type of player Seattle had been linked to before ultimately signing Nicolas Lodeiro. Almiron has played mostly as a left-sided midfielder with Lanus but has also seen time as a center mid, right mid and forward with the Paraguay national team. It’s at least within the realm of possibility that the Sounders were considering trying to bring in Almiron this offseason under the assumption they’ll have at least one open Designated Player spot.