Another Atlanta United fan-favorite looks to be on the exit door. After Darlington Nagbe and Julian Gressel left the club in recent months, Paraguayan winger Hector Tito Villalba might also follow their footsteps.
According to Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Doug Roberson, Atlanta is looking to sell Villalba this offseason, with Paraguay emerging as his most probable destination. The 25-year-old reportedly already left the team’s training camp.
On the other hand, The Athletic reports that Villalba’s transfer is already done and that he will become a member of Club Libertad.
One of the reasons for the departure of Villalba from MLS is his wish to get extended playing time so he could return to Paraguay’s national team. The player asked for guarantees from Atlanta, but the coach Frank de Boer couldn’t promise him a more prominent role in 2020.
Tito Villalba joined Atlanta United in 2016 as the club’s first Designated Player. In his first season with the team, he proved to be an impactful player, making 68 appearances and scoring 21 goals alongside 15 assists. Villalba also played a crucial role in the team’s MLS Cup win in 2018.
This past season, however, Villalba struggled with injuries and also couldn’t find his place in de Boer’s system. He ended up starting just 10 games and scoring once.
