Atlanta United have shattered the Major League Soccer transfer record by signing Cote d’Ivoire forward Emmanuel Latte Lath from Middlesbrough for a fee reported to be between $22 million and $24 million, plus add-ons.
The 26-year-old forward completed a medical in London on Monday before traveling to finalize the terms of his contract with the MLS club.
The transfer surpasses the previous MLS record of $16.2 million, paid by FC Cincinnati for Kevin Denkey from Cercle Brugge in a deal confirmed earlier this month.
Latte Lath was also on the radar of several Premier League and European clubs before Atlanta United secured his signature.
The Ivorian international joined Middlesbrough in the summer of 2023 and made an immediate impact, scoring 18 goals in his debut season.
In the ongoing 2024-25 campaign, he has netted 11 goals in 29 Championship appearances, cementing his status as a key player in Middlesbrough’s push for Premier League promotion.
Before his move to England, Latte Lath had a standout season with Swiss club St. Gallen in 2022-23, where he scored 16 goals.
The forward, capped twice by Ivory Coast, previously struggled for first-team opportunities at Atalanta, making just three senior appearances in the Coppa Italia during the 2016-17 season before a series of loan spells.
