According to ESPN, Atlanta United’s head coach Gerardo Martino is leaving MLS at the end of 2018 in order to coach Mexico national soccer team. Martino was heavily linked with this job in the past month, and reportedly two sides have now come to a verbal agreement about the terms of the contract.
Due to his contractual obligations to Atlanta, Martino will be able to sign a deal and take over Mexico in December, once the current MLS season wraps up. In case that the 55-year-old changes his mind until then, Mexican Football Federation identified Club America coach Miguel Herrera as their backup option.
Mexico reportedly sees Gerardo Martino, who previously coached Barcelona and Argentina national team, as a long-term solution on the position after Juan Carlos Osorio resigned in July 2018. Martino is also interested in having long-term job security and would be looking forward to working with Mexico’s exciting group of young talented players that includes PSV’s Hirving Lozano and LA Galaxy’s Efrain Alvarez.
Even though there is interest on both sided, Martino declined to discuss reports that he is linked with the vacant position of Mexico’s coach.
“Nothing to say,” – said Martino on Friday. “I don’t have to clarify things that I haven’t said. This is always the same thing. Whenever there is some news, we will be sure to tell you. Until then, nothing has changed since the last time we spoke.”
Gerardo Martino took over Atlanta United in September 2016 for the team’s inaugural season in MLS. He managed to take the team to the third position in Eastern Conference and reach the MLS Cup Playoffs Knockout Round. This season Atlanta is first in the conference and is one of the main favorites to take the 2018 MLS Cup.
Martino’s record in MLS is 63 wins, 31 draws and 17 defeats.
