Tito Villalba acquires green card, will no longer require international roster slot

Atlanta United have one less international slot issue to worry about. The club announced on Monday that Tito Villalba has acquired a United States green card and will no longer count as an international player on their roster.

Villalba was signed as Atlanta’s first-ever Designated Player in July of 2016. After spending half of a season on-loan with Club Tijuana he joined the Five Stripes for their inaugural season and shined. With 13 goals and 11 assists, the 23-year-old established himself as a key component to the club’s record-breaking attack.

This news is very much welcome for the club who are pushing the limits of a Major League Soccer roster. With the acquisition of Ezequiel Barco last week they will need all the international slots they can muster and will even have to find a way to open up a Designated Player slot. While it hasn’t been announced by the club, it is widely expected that they will buy down Villalba’s contract opening up that spot for Barco.

Update: Atlanta United Technical Director Carlos Bocanegra says that the club is working on obtaining more green cards for its internationals.