It's not very often that players brought in on loan to MLS teams perform as well as Yamil Asad did for Atlanta United in 2017, and not get signed to a permanent deal.
But that's just what happened, with Asad, who was on loan from Velez Sarsfield in the Argentine Primera last year, heading back home after scoring seven goals and 13 assists as a winger in his first season in North America.
Still, the 23-year-old was in demand around MLS this offseason, and this week joined Atlanta's 2017 bogeyman, D.C. United, on another year-long loan from Velez.
For Asad, who spoke to Ariel Judas of Futbol MLS about the move, his desire to return to the US was strong this offseason.
"I did not know when I would be able to do it, but my intention was to return to the league," he said. "It's a very good competition, I felt very good, I had a great year with Atlanta, but I was not sure I could make such a quick return. I'm very happy it turned out that way."
Asad, the son of Velez legend Omar Asad, came to Atlanta last year as an unknown quantity. But under the tutelage of compatriot Gerardo "Tata" Martino and alongside an exciting group of young South American attackers in Miguel Almiron, Hector Villalba and Josef Martinez, the younger Asad made a name for himself stateside.
And now he wants to prove that his stint with the Five Stripes wasn't a fluke.
"This is a new personal challenge, I want to match what I did in Atlanta, or to do better if it is possible, I am very happy that D.C. has made an offer and has been interested in me. I will try to repay that with my game."
You can read all of Asad's interview on Futbol MLS.
