Rumor: São Paulo want to acquire Alan Franco from Atlanta United

The offseason likes to play with a supporter’s emotions, and this busy period of the player’s time off has been rife with interesting roster updates. Today, the Atlanta United faithful have another to worry about. Cesar Luis Merlo has once again offered up some tasty information (rumor) stating that São Paulo have submitted a formal offer to Atlanta United for Alan Franco. Specifically, the rumor mentions that the offer is a loan with an obligation to purchase.

Anyone who watched the Five Stripes this year witnessed Franco go from a potential worry to one of the better center backs in the league alongside his pal Miles Robinson. He truly showed the entire fanbase why the club spent money on him, and during the last half of the year he was a true stalwart at the back. It’s no surprise that some club would come calling, as we often forget that some of the more unsung heroes like Alan are just as valuable while we all wait with bated breath to see if anyone will scoop up the ridiculously talented Miles.

This could have been an amazing offer for Atlanta, but the fact that the team just lost another starter center back in Anton Walkes to one of their newest rivals simply leaves the club in a precarious position. It’ll be interesting to see if this comes to fruition, as it just seems like Sao Paulo would have to offer a significant sum to make the transaction truly worth the time.

Keep in mind, rumors are rumors, and in some cases they’re never heard about again. But this one will be worth watching as it would affect the entire layout of the Five Stripes’ back line in 2022.