Atlanta United is poised to finalize a deal to rehire Gerardo “Tata” Martino as the club’s head coach, according to multiple sources confirmed by ESPN. Martino will take over the role from Ronny Deila, who was dismissed after a lackluster season that saw the team accumulate only 28 points from 34 matches, placing them just two points above the last-ranked D.C. United in the Eastern Conference. Despite boasting the third-highest payroll in Major League Soccer at $27.6 million, Atlanta’s performance fell short of expectations. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution was the first to break the news of Martino’s impending return. The seasoned coach, 62, emerged victorious over five other candidates, including former Portland Timbers coach Giovanni Savarese. Martino initially joined Atlanta United in 2016 as the franchise’s first manager, leading the team to an MLS Cup championship in 2018. He departed after that successful season to manage the Mexico men’s national team. Most recently, he left Inter Miami last November following a surprising playoff exit at the hands of Atlanta. Additionally, Martino has held managerial positions at prominent clubs, including Newell’s Old Boys, Barcelona, and the Argentina men’s national team. The hope is that his return will restore stability to Atlanta United, which has cycled through four different managers since his departure and has qualified for the playoffs only three times in the last six seasons.
