Atlanta United's top five signings under Carlos Bocanegra

Atlanta United fired technical director Carlos Bocanegra last week after the former USMNT player held the position for nearly a decade.

The decision to fire Bocanegra came after several seasons in which he underperformed in the eyes of many Atlanta fans. While Bocanegra had early success in building a team that won three trophies in its first three seasons in Major League Soccer, he became a polarizing figure among Atlanta fans after the team struggled to get back into trophy contention.

Bocanegra played a key role in Atlanta's early history as they helped the team win the 2018 MLS Cup, the Campeones Cup and the 2019 U.S. Open Cup.

Atlanta made headlines in the transfer market when they paid $16 million to sign Thiago Almada from Velez Sarsfield.

The team desperately needed a good, creative midfielder and that's exactly what they got in Almada and more. Before Almada sealed a $21 million transfer to Botafogo earlier this summer, the 23-year-old scored 23 goals and provided 33 assists in 77 league games for the Five Stripes.

Atlanta acquired Nagbe from the Portland Timbers for $750,000 in general allocation money, $300,000 in targeted allocation money and a spot on the 2018 international roster.

The veteran midfielder spent just two seasons in Atlanta, winning two trophies, before joining Columbus Crew in 2020. Nagbe was a key part of the team's midfield and early success as an MLS franchise.

In terms of value for money, you won't find a better deal from Atlanta and Bocanegra after they signed former USMNT goalkeeper Brad Guzan on a free transfer midway through Atlanta's inaugural season.

The former Aston Villa and Hull City goalkeeper was a fixture between the sticks. Guzan is Atlanta's all-time most capped player with 222 appearances and has kept 75 clean sheets.

One of Atlanta's most successful signings under Bocanegra is Miguel Almirón from Lanus. The $8.3 million transfer fee paid for Almirón turned out to be a bargain.

Almirón scored 21 goals and 28 assists in 62 appearances for the Five Stripes and played a key role in the MLS Cup victory. His outstanding performances in the MLS earned him a move to Premier League side Newcastle United after the 2018 season.

It's difficult to mention Atlanta United without also mentioning the club's all-time leading goalscorer, Josef Martínez.

The Venezuelan international was brought to Atlanta from Serie A club Torino for just under $5 million before the 2017 season. The rest, as they say, is history. No matter who was on the sidelines in Atlanta, Martínez always found the back of the net. He scored 111 goals in 158 appearances for the Five Stripes before leaving as a free agent in 2023.

Although his time in Atlanta ended on a disappointing note, he will always be remembered by Atlanta fans as he played a major role in the team winning three trophies and the 2018 MLS MVP award.