Osvaldo Alonso heads to Atlanta United

Osvaldo Alonso will be reunited with Gonzalo Pineda at Atlanta United, it was announced on Wednesday. Alonso spent the last three seasons with Minnesota United after 10 years with the Seattle Sounders.

After injuries limited the 36-year-old to just 750 minutes 2020, Alonso was able to nearly double his playing time in 2021. Alonso made 15 starts, played 1,416 minutes and helped lead the Loons to the playoffs for the third consecutive season. Minnesota had never qualified for the playoffs prior to Alonso joining the squad.

Although he stayed healthy, Alonso is hardly an elite defensive midfielder at this point in his career. He remains a very good passer, but ranks in the 26th percentile in pressures and in the 55th percentile for tackles among defensive midfielders, according to FBRef.com. He does, however, rank in the 99th percentile in recoveries and the 72nd percentile in interceptions.

Chances are, Atlanta won’t need him to be much more than a veteran leader. Alonso will apparently occupy a supplemental roster spot and is being paid the league minimum. If all they need is for him to lend his winning mentality and help lock up results late in the game, he’ll probably be an asset.