TRANSFER TRACKER STATUS: Trade
Atlanta United have acquired midfielder Amar Sejdic from CF Montréal in exchange for $100,000 General Allocation Money, with the potential to rise a further $50,000 GAM if performance-based incentives are met, the clubs announced Tuesday.
Sejdic, 24, was selected in the second round of the 2019 MLS SuperDraft by Montréal and made 22 appearances with the club, including seven this season. The central midfielder joins Atlanta amid an availability crisis, as they could be without as many as 11 first-team players on Thursday against Nashville SC (8:30 pm ET | MLS LIVE on ESPN+).
“We’re really pleased to add Amar to our roster and look forward to him joining the club immediately,” Atlanta VP & technical director Carlos Bocanegra said in a club statement. “He’s a smart, responsible midfielder who has recently started to come on for Montréal. He’ll add competition to our group of midfielders as we prepare for an important stretch of the season.”
Atlanta's central midfield depth has gotten light as the season went on. Emerson Hyndman is out for the season with an ACL injury, Mo Adams just made his first start of the season after an injury of his own, Franco Ibarra has missed a few weeks and Matheus Rossetto has played just two minutes this year.
Montréal have depth at the position, headlined by Victor Wanyama and Samuel Piette.
“We were happy with Amar’s work, but we received an offer from Atlanta that we accepted after discussing it internally," Montréal sporting director Olivier Renard said in a release. "We made this decision mostly because we have a lot of players in this position, including young players that are progressing well and we don’t want to slow their momentum. It’s important to also note that Amar’s contract is ending at the end of the 2021 season with an option for next year. We thank Amar for the last three years with us and wish him good luck in his career.”
Atlanta currently sit 10th in the Eastern Conference standings with 12 points after 11 games. Montréal are tied for sixth place with 16 points.