Miguel Almirón has officially rejoined his former team, Atlanta United. The club confirmed the midfielder’s return on a three-year deal with an option to stay for the 2028 season.
The Paraguay national gets a chance to play again after providing key contributions to Atlanta when they won the MLS Cup title in 2018.
The deal was completed on Thursday for a reported $10 million transfer fee plus add-ons, thanks to Charlotte FC, who agreed on a Discovery Priority exchange of $400,000 in General Allocation Money (GAM).
Newcastle’s financial reality
Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe acknowledged that letting Almiron go was obligatory due to financial constraints and not squad planning as many have speculated.
Speaking in his pre-match press conference on Friday morning, Howe said via The Chronicle:
“People are negotiating behind the scenes. I think it’s a deal that suits the club and suits Miggy. I think it’s a good time for him to get a fresh challenge and a club obviously that he knows very well, he’s got a great relationship with, so I think he goes into very good hands the other way.
“But as I’ve said many times this month, it’s a deal that we needed to do. We’re a little bit short in respect of that position and attacking areas currently where Harvey’s injured and Callum’s injured. We’re certainly stretched in that area – but it’s a deal that we needed to do.”
Newcastle’s unwillingness to spend in the winter transfer window illuminates their financial regulatory pressures.
Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) have driven Premier League clubs into making tough decisions, with Newcastle among those being closely watched.
Howe had earlier accepted that the sales of Elliot Anderson and Yankuba Minteh in the summer window were necessary to remain compliant.
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What is PSR?
The Premier League created Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) in 2015-16 to inhibit clubs from making extreme losses.
These regulations mandate the teams to post losses of up to £105 million over a three-year cycle.
These calculations do not include expenditures directed to infrastructure, academies, and community projects.
Clubs that fail to comply with PSR attract penalties such as transfer bans, points deductions, or even fines.
The mounting financial pressure has made clubs such as Leicester City, Aston Villa, Newcastle United, and Everton to sell some of their key players to keep their financial books balanced before the June 30 financial deadline.
Newcastle fought hard in the summer to avoid breaching PSR by selling two players. However, additional sales such as this of Almirón have become unavoidable to operate within the rules.
Almirón’s impact and Atlanta’s ambition
Almirón played for two seasons for Atlanta United in 2017 and 2018, which ended with a historic MLS Cup triumph.
At 30, he is bringing a wealth of experience and attacking quality from a higher league to an Atlanta side that is working their way to the top.
For Newcastle, this transfer only magnifies their financial margins. Almirón’s departure provides some relief under PSR; however, it hurts their season’s ambitions.