Atlanta United acquires U.S. youth talent Adrian Gill from Barcelona
On Tuesday, Atlanta United finalized an agreement to acquire United States youth international Adrian Gill from Barcelona on a permanent basis, as confirmed by both clubs.
Atlanta indicated that the contract extends until June 2027, with an option to prolong it through the 2029-30 season. The agreement is subject to the receipt of Gill’s International Transfer Certificate (ITC).
“Adrian is a young midfielder with experience in the U.S. youth national team, and his development journey has taken him to one of the premier academies globally at Barcelona,” stated Chris Henderson, Atlanta’s chief soccer officer and sporting director, in a news release.
“We are happy to welcome him to the club and enhance the competition within our midfield group.”
Barcelona announced: “FC Barcelona and Atlanta United have come to an agreement for the transfer of player Adrian Simon Gill. The club retains a percentage of any future sale involving the American midfielder.”
At 20 years old, Gill is anticipated to occupy a supplemental roster position with Atlanta, meaning his salary will not impact the Five Stripes’ salary cap.
Gill had been on loan since October with UE Cornellà, competing in Spain’s fifth division. Prior to that, he was part of Barcelona’s B team, which plays in Spain’s fourth division.
The Denver, Colorado native joined Barcelona’s academy in 2018 after initially being part of Cornellà’s youth setup.
Gill’s rise through Barcelona’s youth ranks was swift, as he signed his first professional contract in 2022. However, he faced a setback due to an ACL injury in September 2023, which has hindered his development.
Last August, Barcelona extended Gill’s contract through 2026.
Primarily a midfielder, Gill has also played as a fullback.
On the international stage, Gill was part of the U.S. team that participated in the 2023 Concacaf U17 Championships, where he played in seven matches. The aforementioned knee injury prevented him from being included in that year’s U17 World Cup squad. Gill is also eligible to play for Spain.
Despite Gill’s departure, the U.S. will still have representation at Barcelona through goalkeeper Diego Kochen. Although the 19-year-old has not yet made an appearance for the first team, he has been included in senior matchday squads.
Information from Jeff Carlisle and Sam Marsden contributed to this report.
