Yes, Atlanta United should bring back Yamil Asad

Let’s be honest here, you knew this post was coming.

As soon as the news dropped on Monday that D.C. United had decided not to exercise the option on Yamil Asad, this post was inevitable.

Before you send me mean comments and tweets, hear me out. It’s clear things didn’t work out for Yamil in D.C. but that definitely doesn’t mean he’s not good enough to contribute in MLS. He proved during the 2017 season that he’s capable of being a vital role player at this level. With the right group, he’s even pushing for a starting spot. I have no idea if the 2022 Atlanta United squad would be the right group for him, but at this point, it’s at least worth finding out, assuming he can be attained for a reasonable salary.

We’ve been talking about in quite a bit since the NYCFC playoff defeat, the team is too individually focused, especially in attack. For all his faults, one thing Yamil can’t be accused of is being a selfish or individualistic player. He’s a team player who gives his all to the team. Bad tackles and questionable decisions aside, he’s the prototypical player that you love if he’s on your team and absolutely hate if he’s on the other side. Atlanta fans have gotten to experience both and predictably felt both of those exact emotions.

Another big issue with Atlanta’s attack is the lack of penetrating passing that break lines. While a big reason we see very few of these is that there just isn’t anyone making good off-the-ball runs, Yamil definitely has this attribute of picking out a pass in his locker. Another feather in his cap would be the familiarity he has with Josef Martinez and the runs he’s prone to making.

Bringing Asad back to Atlanta may be a nostalgia act in a sense, but underneath the emotional aspect, it makes sense on paper. The chemistry shouldn’t be an issue as he knows what to expect at the club already and has players around him he knows and respects. While he’s not the critical piece D.C. United expected when they shelled out a nice chunk of change for him, he’s still capable of being a valuable depth player for a good team. And that’s really what this offseason is mainly about for Atlanta United, shoring up the depth of the squad. Yamil would definitely do that, if he comes at sensible price tag for the MLS landscape.

What say you? Would bringing Yamil Asad back to Atlanta be a good idea? Let’s hear it.