Josef Martínez joins Inter Miami CF - Atlanta United buy out the player (2024)

DP moved

This article first appeared on Jan. 6 and has been updated with new information.

The big rebuild under new Atlanta UnitedCEO Gareth Lagerweycontinues at a rapid pace. On Jan. 5, the club terminated the contract with Emerson Hyndman and shipped Marcelino Moreno on loan to Brazilian side Coritiba. Then on Jan. 6, defender Alan Francowas sold for €2.3 million to Brazilian giant São Paulo. On Jan. 18, the club confirmed that they had bought outJosef Martínez,andthe striker has since joinedInter Miami CFon a free transfer. Both clubs have confirmed the deal.

“Josef is a champion, and adding him to our group is exciting for us as we head into the 2023 season," Inter Miami CF sporting director Chris Henderson said in a club statement. "He’s been one of the best players in the league since he first arrived, and we believe he’ll make a difference here at Inter Miami. We’re adding a proven goalscorer with a track record of success in MLS. We’re thrilled to have a player like Josef in our attack.”

Martínez is one of the most prolific strikers in Major League Soccerhistory with 98 goals in just 134 games—only Stern John(101 minutes per goal) and Zlatan Ibrahimović(91 minutes per goal) have been more efficient than the Venezuelan (104 minutes per goal) in league history (overview). Among active MLS players, only Kei Kamara(138 goals) has scored more often than Martínez.

Josef Martínez to Inter Miami CF - Beckham club has open DP spot

The flip side to all this is that Martínez has not only struggled with injuries in recent seasons but also has regularly fallen out with Atlanta United head coaches. In October, The Athletic reported that the club's front office had informed the player's camp that they want to sign a new no. 9 this offseason and, therefore, wanted to move on from Martínez's Designated Player (DP) contract.

But moving Martínez was never going to be easy for Atlanta United. In 2022, the striker was among the ten highest-paid players in the league and, according to the MLSPA salary guide, earned a base salary of $3.75m (€3.5m). The striker missed nine games with a knee injury last season and, although prolific throughout his career, managed just nine goals and four assists in 26 games last season. On his current salary, a move abroad was, therefore, always unlikely. With that in mind, it made sense for Atlanta to buy out the player, opening an opportunity for Inter Miami to sign the player on a free transfer.

At Inter Miami, Martínez is the perfect replacement for now retired Gonzalo Higuaín, and because he holds a Green Card will not take up a foreign roster slot. As a result, this could be a win-win-win situation, with Atlanta freeing up a Designated Player spot, Martínez getting a new start, and Inter Miami acquiring a star striker to replace Higuaín.

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