According to The Athletic, Atlanta United are finalizing a deal to acquire Swiss striker Joachim Embolo from Rennes.
Sources say Atalanta will pay around $18 million (€15.5 million) for Embolo, making the striker one of the fifth most expensive transfers in MLS history. Atlanta United holds five of the league's ten most expensive transfers in history.
This summer, Atlanta United pursued several high-priced targets, including Uruguayan striker Núñez, while Emmanuel Rat-Rat has already left to join Union Berlin.
The 29-year-old Embolo made 34 appearances for Rennes last season, scoring 10 goals and providing 3 assists, for a total of 2,143 minutes. He has also played for Monaco and Borussia Mönchengladbach in recent seasons.
Embolo represented Switzerland at the World Cup this summer, receiving a controversial red card in the team's loss to Argentina. He has scored 26 goals in 92 appearances for the Swiss women's national team.
Embolo will serve as the attacking core between Miguel Almiron and Alexei Miranchuk, two designated players. Atlanta United has been rebuilding its squad under manager Tata Martino this season, with frequent player changes, but its performance remains poor. The team has only accumulated 12 points after 18 games this season, placing them at the bottom of the table.
In this summer's World Cup quarter-final, Switzerland lost 1-3 to Argentina after extra time, suffering a disappointing exit from the tournament. In the 72nd minute, Embolo was sent off after receiving his second yellow card due to a wrongful refereeing decision. Switzerland was furious, as Embolo had initially been awarded a free kick for a foul by Argentine midfielder Kevin Paredes, but referee João Pinheiro, after reviewing VAR, overturned the decision, deeming Embolo a dive and issuing him a second yellow card.
The guidelines subsequently released by the International Football Rules Board (IFAB) indicated that Embolo's red card should not have been issued.
Embolo scored 2 goals and provided 2 assists in this tournament. He has made 92 appearances for the Swiss women's national team, scoring 26 goals.
This transfer will end Embolo's 12-year European football career. Born in Yaoundé, Cameroon, Embolo debuted in 2014 through the youth academy of Basel in the Swiss Super League and played for the first team for two seasons.
From 2016, he played for Schalke and Borussia Mönchengladbach in the top German football league for a total of 6 seasons before transferring to French team Monaco in 2022.
