Josef Martínez not returning to Atlanta United next season: Sources

Josef Martínez will not return to Atlanta United next season, sources have told The Athletic. During a face-to-face meeting with Atlanta technical director Carlos Bocanegra on Oct. 20, Martínez was told that he would not be part of the club’s future.

Multiple sources, who were granted anonymity in order to maintain working relationships with Atlanta United, said that the club has been actively pursuing a new No. 9. Atlanta is expected to sign a forward using a designated player spot, but they must first find a contractual solution for Martínez.

The Venezuelan DP has a guaranteed contract with Atlanta through 2023. Per sources, the contract includes a no-trade clause, meaning Martínez would have to approve a deal to end his time with Atlanta United before the contract is set to conclude.

When reached for comment, Atlanta United declined to comment through a spokesperson.

The likely next step is for the club and Martínez’s camp to negotiate the final year of the player’s contract. In this case, a contract buyout is a possible solution. Due to his no-trade clause — likely defined as a no-reassignment clause within MLS — Martínez would become a free agent if a buyout is agreed upon and skip the typical waiver claims for players who are bought out of contracts. Martínez would then be able to sign with the team of his choice in MLS.

According to MLS roster rules, an Atlanta United buyout of Martínez would open budget space for a new signing. Teams are allowed one offseason buyout per year. The buyout is then deemed a club expense. Atlanta would pay Martínez based on the terms of the buyout, but Martínez would technically remain under contract with MLS.

Martínez, 29, became an instant star in MLS after he was acquired by Atlanta United in 2017 on loan from Serie A side Torino. He was signed to a permanent DP deal after just three games during the club’s inaugural season and then penned a five-year extension in January 2019 after a record-breaking campaign in 2018.

That season, Atlanta United won MLS Cup and Martínez became the first player in league history to win three MVP awards in one season. He was an All-Star, regular season and MLS Cup MVP and cemented his place as one of MLS’ all-time best center forwards.

Martínez was an MLS Best XI selection in 2017, 2018 and 2019 and was Atlanta United’s top goal scorer over the last two seasons despite playing in a reserve role under Gonzalo Pineda in 2022. He finishes with 111 goals for Atlanta United in all competitions and reached the century mark in goals faster than any other player in MLS history.

His last goal for the club on Oct. 1 against New England was voted as the best goal of the 2022 season. That’s the type of production and impact that Bocanegra and Atlanta United will now attempt to replace.

Without question, Martínez, his goals and his personality were essential to Atlanta United’s spectacular start in MLS. His knee injury in 2020 changed the course of…