Following Atlanta United's action of buying out Josef Martinez's contract, the club's all-time leading scorer and one of the league's most iconic players, has signed with Inter Miami. The Herons announced the move on Wednesday morning via press release.
Inter Miami will retain a portion of Martínez’s guaranteed contract on its 2023 club salary budget. Martinez will likely join the Herons on a TAM deal rather than occupy the DP spot he held for six seasons in Atlanta, though the Inter Miami release did not specify what level of roster spot he'd occupy.
“I’m excited for the opportunity to represent Inter Miami and give the best of myself," said Martínez in the Miami release. "This is a club with high aspirations and that aims to be amongst the best in the league. I hope to help the team achieve its objectives and leave my mark at the club."
𝟭𝟱𝟴 games. 𝟭𝟭𝟭 goals. 𝟰 trophies.
— Atlanta United FC (@ATLUTD) January 18, 2023
It's been an honor, @JosefMartinez17 👑#ATLUTD announces it has released Josef Martínez.
Martinez leaves Atlanta United with 98 career MLS goals. He introduced himself to Atlanta fans in 2017 with a 19-goal season before putting in an all-time great MLS season in 2018. Martinez scored a then-record 31 times and dished out six assists on his way to winning MLS MVP and leading Atlanta to its first-ever MLS Cup.
The following year, he put a struggling team on his back, scoring in an MLS-record 15 straight games. He finished the year with 27 goals as the Five Stripes fell just short of a second-straight MLS Cup appearance.
In the first match of the 2020 season, Martinez tore his ACL against Nashville SC. He wouldn't return until the beginning of the 2021 season. From there, he scored 12 goals in 2021 and nine goals in 2022, including the MLS Goal of the Year, his final mark on the scoresheet in Atlanta.
Martinez's play on the field deservedly received the brunt of the focus during his time in Atlanta. However, his big personality often put him in position to make headlines off the field. He clashed with multiple coaches in Atlanta, most notably Gabriel Heinze, who didn't last long with the club after internal issues with Josef came to light. He also notably flipped a catering table after a loss to Portland last season. That action earned him a one-game suspension and likely helped seal his future with the club.
What it means for Atlanta United
There's no sugarcoating it. The club is irrevocably different without Josef Martinez. It's arguable that no player in MLS history has been more important to the success of a club. Martinez scored at a historic rate and his larger-than-life presence endeared him to the league's largest fan base.
Despite all of that, you can also argue that Martinez lost a lot of steps after his ACL tear. His pressing and running stats dropped to league-worst levels, he lost the dynamism that used to send him running onto balls in the final third and around defenders with the ball, and he failed to produce at a DP level.
It's not how anyone wanted it to end. But the ending doesn't make Josef's best moments obsolete. I could go on, but it can all be summed up with a simple phrase: Build the statue.
Now, Atlanta United will likely look for a DP striker to replace the club's most beloved player. It's a tall, tall task. But this has been coming. They have assuredly had replacements in mind for a while. It's likely that a new forward will be in soon as long as the market allows.
I won't lie. It's going to be weird to see Atlanta United without Josef. It's going to be even weirder to see Atlanta United play against Josef. However, this is the right move for everyone involved. And Atlanta United should be better off for it in 2023.
