It was always part of the plan.



Atlanta United knew from the beginning that its reward for doing a good job building its roster would be that, at some point, the team would face the difficult task of replacing its best players. It’s what happens when you choose the model of a selling club, where the job is to find those top young players before anyone else, enjoy them while you can, and then cash in once their value has matured.



How it will feel to potentially lose a few of the players that fans have come to love will depend to some degree on whether the team can win a trophy or two at the end of this season. But as the MLS season winds down, it will be difficult not to glance beyond December 8th and the choices the club will have to make.



Atlanta faces an absolutely pivotal offseason that will turn on two massive issues: the sale of Miguel Almirón and how to replace him, and the potential contract negotiations with coach Tata Martino. Getting...