Atlanta United Return to Splashing Cash With Record-Breaking Latte Lath fee

The Five Stripes now own four of five MLS transfer records.

Emmanuel Latte Lath heads to Atlanta United in a record-breaking MLS transfer / Alfie Cosgrove/News Images

Atlanta United smashed the MLS record fee for an incoming player on Wednesday, inking Middlesbrough striker Emmanuel Latte Lath for a reported fee of $22 million plus add-ons. 

The move sees the Five Strips break the incoming fee record, which was only set earlier in the season when FC Cincinnati shelled out $16.2 million for Belgian Pro League forward Kévin Denkey. Now, Atlanta hold four of the five most expensive incoming transfers in MLS history

Latte Lath, 26, who comes over from the EFL Championship, had 29 goals in 67 appearances and continued a hectic window for Atlanta United. 

The record-breaking signing is no surprise for Atlanta United, which have always been one of the more ambitious MLS clubs. Just this offseason, they’ve brought back Miguel Almiron from Premier League side Newcastle United while adding Mateusz Klich from Eastern Conference rival D.C. United. 

The talk of the town. Now it's official.

Bienvenue, Latte Lath ⚡️🐘 pic.twitter.com/rQ22t2bqah

— Atlanta United FC (@ATLUTD) February 4, 2025

Heading to Mercedes-Benz Stadium, the Ivory Coast international joins designated player midfielder Alexey Miranchuk and winger Saba Lobjanidze as Atlanta builds out a refreshed attacking force. 

"We're excited to sign Latte Lath and look forward to welcoming him to the club and the city of Atlanta," said chief soccer officer and sporting director Chris Henderson, who joined the club from Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami CF in the offseason

"He’s a forward with excellent pace and good goal-scoring instincts. His ability to stretch the field will add another dimension to our attack. At 26 years old, he’s entering the prime years of his career and has already shown his goal-scoring ability in multiple leagues in Europe."

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A speedy forward, Latte Lath isn't lost when he gets into tight spaces, using his skill to keep the ball at his feet and lay off to midfielders even with his back to goal. Often unpredictable, his mix of decision-making, a strong first touch, and a quick turn will make him a headache for MLS defenders in 2025. Additionally, he'll gel with Atlanta's multi-lingual locker room, speaking fluent English, Spanish, French, Italian, and Portuguese.

Under newly appointed head coach Ronny Deila, Atlanta will look to continue the momentum they picked up in the 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs, where they eliminated Miami in the first round. 

Atlanta kick off the 2025 MLS season at home against CF Montréal on Feb. 22.

Major League Soccer Record Transfers

Player	Transfer Fee	Year	MLS Club Joined	Previous Club
Emmanuel Latte Lath	$22 million + add-ons	2025	Atlanta United	Middelsborough FC (EFL Championship)
Kévin Denkey	$16.2 million	2024	FC Cincinnati	Cercle Brugge (Belgium)
Thiago Almada	$15.5 million	2022	Atlanta United	Vélez Sarsfield (Argentina)
Gonzalo Martinez	$15.5 million	2019	Atlanta United	River Plate (Argentina)
Ezequiel Barco	$13 million	2018	Atlanta United	Independiente (Argentina)

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