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Jeff Carlisle
Miguel Almirón mentioned he looks like he is “at residence” now that he is returning to Atlanta United.
Almirón’s $12.5 million transfer from Premier League aspect Newcastle United was formally introduced on Thursday. He arrived to a hero’s welcome at Hartsfield Worldwide Airport on Thursday night time, signing autographs, taking photos with followers, and listening to followers chant, “Miggy, Miggy.”
“I really feel at residence,” he mentioned throughout a convention name with reporters with the assistance of a translator. “Particularly final night time, the welcome was very nice and it was nice to see it and I really feel like I am residence.”
The transfer comes six years after he left the 5 Stripes for the brilliant lights of the Premier League. After some early struggles, Almirón endeared himself to the Newcastle followers by his work fee and tenacity. His peak got here through the 2022-23 season when he scored 11 objectives in 41 video games throughout all competitions.
“I feel the followers in Newcastle additionally handled me rather well,” he mentioned. “I feel it is the identical stage of affection that I’ve acquired from each fan bases. I am at all times going to be grateful to the Newcastle followers for that, for my time throughout my six years there. However that is the identical sort of respect and affection that I really feel from the followers right here in Atlanta.”
When Almirón departed in 2018, the Paraguay worldwide’s dynamic runs down the wing had been what caught the attention. Now 30, Almirón feels that Atlanta is getting an much more rounded participant than when he left.
“I feel within the six years that I used to be in England, that have helped,” he mentioned. “I feel I’ve matured and I feel I am going to attempt to use that have. I am going to attempt to convey that to the group right here to attempt to assist the group within the ways in which I can. And I feel for these causes, additionally they introduced me again.”
Whereas Almirón spoke of how not a lot had modified with Atlanta United, one distinction is that the ahead with whom he related so usually, Josef Martínez, has lengthy since departed, and is now with the San Jose Earthquakes. Almirón mentioned the 2 are nonetheless shut.
“I at all times converse with him. He is considered one of my greatest mates in soccer, so I’ve shared a whole lot of issues with him and we discuss,” he mentioned. “These items occur in soccer. We take completely different paths as gamers. So once I left I used to be taking a unique path to go to Newcastle … God keen, perhaps we’ll discover a solution to meet once more.”
