Announced 

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Major League Soccer side Atlanta United have signed Middlesbrough forward Emmanuel Latte Lath. The 26-year-old Ivorian forward has signed a contract until 2028, with an option for 2029. The English Championship side will receive a reported transfer fee of $22 million (€21.3m) from Atlanta United in what will be a new record transfer in MLS (overview).

Atlanta United previously held the record for the most expensive transfer until this winter. The Five Stripes signed Thiago Almada for €14.5 million Vélez Sarsfield in 2022. That record deal meant that Atlanta had signed the three most expensive players in league history. Previously to Almada, Atlanta had Pity Martínez for €14.5m from River Plate and Esequiel Barco from Independiente for €12.3m. 

The Five Stripes lost their top spot at the most expensive signings in MLS history this winter when FC Cincinnati signed Kévin Denkey from Cercle Brugge in a deal worth €15.3m. Now, just a few weeks later, Atlanta United are back at the top after they have completed the transfer for Latte Lath. The conclusion of that transfer means that Atlanta United have now four of the most expensive transfers in MLS history in the top five and in Aleksey Miranchuk signed for €12m from Atalanta in 2024, and Luiz Araújo, who arrived for €11.5m from Lille another two players in the top 10. 

Latte Lath arrives from Middlesbrough – What can he add to the Atlanta attack?

In other words, Atlanta United have never been shy in spending significant money on attacking talent. Indeed, the Five Stripes also remain heavily linked with Leicester City forward Odsonne Edouard. Atlanta United and have brought back star midfielder Miguel Almirón from Newcastle United. Almirón was sold for a league record €24m in 2019 and returned to the club in January in a transfer worth €9.55m. The transfer offensive comes off the back of the club, earning over €40m by selling Thiago Almada to Botafogo, Caleb Wiley to Chelsea, and Georgios Giakoumakis to Cruz Azul (overview).

What can Latte Lath add to Atlanta United? Most importantly goals. Although Atlanta eliminated Inter Miami CF from the MLS Cup Playoffs in 2024, there was certainly a sense that the club has underperformed since winning the MLS Cup in 2018. Last season, Atlanta ranked 22nd in goal scoring. Latte Lath has scored 11 goals in 27 Championship games this season and scored 16 goals in 30 league games last year. The goals aside, according to FBREF, Latte Lath is also a great chance creator, ranking in the upper 88 percentile, with 2.54 shot-creating actions per 90 minutes in the Championship this season.