U.S. international Darlington Nagbe became Atlanta United’s latest signing Wednesday afternoon, adding one of the classiest midfielders in MLS to an already-exciting Five Stripes attack. But any transfer starts well before the player signs a contract. Technical Director Carlos Bocanegra sat down with ATLUTD.com to explain what the front office saw in their newest recruit, and how he will contribute to the squad next season.
This is a player a lot of MLS and U.S. Men's National Team fans have been following for a long time. What does he bring to Atlanta United?
Darlington is one of the most dynamic players in the league, and what stands out to me about him is that he compliments our attacking options so well. He has the ability to dribble out of trouble, he has a very unique quality in his ability to skip past a few defenders and drag defenders out of position, which leaves his teammates in great positions one-on-one or with mismatches down the field.
There were a couple guys we considered that we thought could come from within the league and make a difference in our midfield. The others would’ve probably forced Miguel Almirón a little deeper in the middle, and we didn’t want to take him further away from goal. So Darlington fits our lineup perfectly. Whether he’s deployed centrally or on the wing – he will chip in with a few goals and assists but he’s going to be the connector. He had one of the highest possession retention rates in the league, which is perfect for our team and style building out of the back and playing through the lines. He’s the exact piece that we wanted, and we were honestly surprised that he was available. So we’re excited we were able to get him.
Do you see him as a central player or a wide player or both?
I think he gives us options. Guys like Julian Gressel or Almirón, they can play inside or outside. Darlington can also play inside or outside. So it gives Tata flexibility on the field with how he wants to line them up. With Darlington, we don’t expect him to be a #10 so to speak, because that would push Miguel deeper or out wide. He has a good engine, he’s calm and smooth on the ball. You can fire him the ball while he’s in trouble and he’ll get out of it with possession and keep the flow of the game going. We see Darlington as someone who is going to bring other people into the game and make all the players around him that much better.
What kind of a guy are we getting off the field and in the locker room?
Darlington's a person with good character, he always has a smile on his face. He's exceptional in that way, so we're excited to have him around the club and see him contribute to the culture of the team.
I’ve seen him quite a few times live, including all the home World Cup Qualifiers this year. You see what he’s done at the club level and what he’s done over the course of his career. He’s a known entity in this league, you know what he’s like against the competition in this league and what he’s been able to do. Then you see him thriving on the international stage as well, which is another type of competition. So seeing what he can do in this league, then putting on a show and being one of the top performers when he players for the U.S. team, we’re overjoyed that he’s a part of our squad.
