Atlanta United re-sign homegrown defender Efrain Morales
- Morales shined on loan at Atlanta United 2 in 2023
- 19-year-old is still awaiting his first team appearance
- Atlanta eager to bring in new defenders after disappointing performances at the back
Atlanta United have re-signed homegrown center-back Efraín Morales to a new long-term contract extension, keeping him at the club through the 2024 MLS season.
In the new deal, Atlanta also has options to extend Morales' contract in 2025 and 2026.
The young defender has yet to make an appearance for the Five Stripes at the senior level since joining as a homegrown player in August 2020, but has enjoyed plenty of experience in MLS Next Pro to aid his development before making the jump in the future.
In 2023, Morales started 20 games, playing 1,722 minutes and scored one goal while on loan to Atlanta United 2 in Next Pro. The 19-year-old won roughly 54% of his duels and 33% of his headed duels.
"Efraín is a player who has continued to improve along his pathway from our inaugural U-12 side to Atlanta United 2 and the First Team," vice president and technical director Carlos Bocanegra said in a release. "We're excited to sign him to a contract extension and look forward to his continued development at the club."
Atlanta's center-back options for 2024 are quite slim at the moment given the season just ended, but Morales could make the matchday squad here and there depending on the upcoming transfer window for Bocanegra and CEO and president Garth Lagerway.
The second overall pick in the 2017 MLS Superdraft, Miles Robinson, is out of contract at the end of the year with the club's offer still on the table for him to sign. Juan Jose Purata's loan has expired and he's set to return to Liga MX giants Tigres, leavin the team with just two natural center-backs under contract for the 2024 season: Noah Cobb and Luis Abram.
Earlier in 2023, Atlanta signed Nick Firmino and Luke Brennan to short-term contracts to be eligible for the matchday squad in their 2-2 draw with New York City FC on June 21, where Firmino came off the bench to score a 95th minute equalizer.
Above all, Atlanta will be eager to bring in defensive reinforcements after conceding 53 goals in 2023 (sixth-most in MLS), with many coming near the end of games to deny the Five Stripes a chance to grab three points.
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