Report: Atlanta United unwilling to part with Ezequiel Barco amid Independiente interest

Reports out of Argentina suggest that Independiente inquired about the possibility of bringing Barco back on loan, but Atlanta United is reportedly unwilling to part with the player unless it receives a bid of at least the $15 million the team paid to acquire the Argentine midfielder.

Before getting injured while training with the Argentina U-20 team earlier this month, Independiente reached out to his agent about the possibility of a loan agreement, according to the report. However, Atlanta United don’t want to loan him under the negotiated terms, and he won’t leave the team for less than the 15 million dollars they paid for him just over a year ago.

According to MLS guidelines, A club may loan any player from its Senior Roster to a non-MLS club at any time, subject to the league’s discretion. During the loan period, the club will receive roster relief but not Salary Budget relief unless otherwise determined in the loan agreement. If a team such as Independiente cannot afford Barco’s salary in full (which is highly unlikely), the remainder would come out of Atlanta’s pocket.

We all can agree the Argentinian playmaker hasn’t had the best of times since his record-breaking transfer from Independiente to Atlanta United. He came with a lot of hype but ended the season coming off the bench. With that being said, the team clearly hasn’t given up on him yet and they’re going to give him a chance to prove his worth next season under a new manager.