Atlanta United received some positive news in their managerial search ahead of their inaugural 2017 season.
Spanish site AS is reporting that Gerardo ‘Tata’ Martino has turned down an offer from Club America to continue negotiations to take charge of the new MLS team. America has been searching for a new manager since dismissing Ignacio Ambríz several weeks ago, but will have to look elsewhere as Martino appears to prefer taking over the upcoming MLS team.
Martino, along with former Seattle Sounders manager Sigi Schmid, has been linked with the head coaching position at Atlanta United for the past weeks, including interviewing with the club last week.
Reports state that a deal is close enough to completion that Martino has begun drawing up a potential coaching staff to accompany him to Atlanta.
The former Barcelona and Argentina manager has been on the market since resigning after Argentina’s Copa America final defeat this summer. There was sure to be interest in the prominent manager, but Atlanta United appear to have a leg-up on the competition with this news.