Report: Leandro Gonzalez Pirez returning to MLS with Inter Miami

Less than six months after departing Atlanta United for Liga MX side Club Tijuana, center back Leandro Gonzalez Pirez is reportedly returning to MLS. Paul Tenorio of The Athletic is reporting that LGP is set to join Atlanta’s Eastern Conference foe, Inter Miami on a permanent transfer.

The 28-year-old was a member of Atlanta United’s first three seasons, winning three trophies during his time here. It’s been no secret that the defender didn’t get along all that well with Frank de Boer when he took over as manager in 2019. His move to Tijuana seemed like a step up as far as personal career moves go, but now he’s headed back to MLS in a very short span.

The connections between Atlanta and Miami are obvious with former United VP Paul McDonough now serving as Miami’s Sporting Director. It seems like they’ve decided to invest quite a bit of money in a known commodity like LGP to sure up their backline.

Terms of the deal with Inter Miami were not immediately known, however it should be expected that González Pirez will hit the cap above the league’s maximum budget charge of $612,500 and below the maximum TAM threshold of $1.6125 million. He had a salary of $810,000 last year in Atlanta.

This move is an interesting one from an Atlanta fan’s perspective. It will be quite a weird scenario to see a beloved star lining up with a team who the Five Stripes will compete against a lot. However, that will be a growing trend with the likes of Julian Gressel, Yamil Asad and others having moved elsewhere within the league as well.

What are your thoughts on LGP returning to MLS so soon? Leave your thoughts below.