Pity Martinez confirms he will leave River Plate, join Atlanta United in January

In an interview with TyC Sports, River Plate midfielder Pity Martinez confirmed reports that he would indeed join Atlanta United following his current club’s appearance in the Club World Cup this month.

“I thought a lot with my family and with my (agent),” Martinez said. “It’s a league that (has grown) a lot and we hope to continue making history in that club.”

Having secured a Copa Libertadores championship Sunday in Madrid, Martinez told a pitchside television reporter after River Plate’s 3-1 win over Boca Juniors that he would depart the club in January, though he neglected at the time to specify where he will be going.

The video embedded in the tweet is geo-blocked for us here in the United States, but the quote from Fox Sports Argentina and the interview with TyC confirms Martinez’s departure. Martinez scored the final goal in the second leg of the superclassico final against Boca Jrs.

Martinez appears set to be the heir apparent to the departing Miguel Almiron at Atlanta United. While the club has not confirmed the impending transfer, Atlanta United President Darren Eales has made vague references in the past seemingly confirming the club’s interest.

Martinez is not the same type of player as Almiron, however. Martinez is a true attacking winger who can move into channels and score goals, quite different to Almiron is is naturally a box-to-box central midfielder. Regardless, he’d even more quality in the final third for Atlanta United as they seek to build off an MLS Cup title-winning campaign.