Josef Martinez has played his last game for Atlanta United. This would be unfathomable to think about just a few seasons ago when the Venezuelan looked like he was on his way to being the best player in Major League Soccer history, but after a devastating knee injury and instability in Atlanta, he's on the way out.
Some people, fans and media alike, have suggested that maybe Martinez's next home should be his old home's biggest rival: Orlando City.
Orlaaaaaannnnndooooooo https://t.co/G1jaO5wTYR
— Sam Stejskal (@samstejskal) October 27, 2022
This is not real reporting or even speculation, but just people seeing Orlando as a fun next stop for the former MLS MVP.
But that won't happen, and it shouldn't happen.
Not even looking at any narrative or locker room things, from a pure soccer standpoint, this move would make little sense. Ercan Kara, Orlando's active Designated Player striker, scored 11 goals in his maiden campaign with a strike rate of 0.56 goals per 90 minutes.
Martinez scored just nine goals for Atlanta this season, with a strike rate of 0.54 per 90 minutes.
While you could argue that Martinez was misused or under-utilized, the raw numbers show that the Venezuelan is effectively the same level of goal scorer right now as Kara. His ceiling is theoretically higher than the Austrian if he can sniff his pre-injury form, but that feels very unlikely after multiple seasons below that level.
From that point alone, it feels like a move that would be a lot more work than it's worth. And Orlando's history of acquiring other team's DPs doesn't make me feel great about adding another unwanted former star.
Logistically, this move would almost be impossible, so any legitimate rumors and not just fun speculation should die before it starts. Josef likely doesn't want to play in Orlando which would be a headache, and his massive salary ($4.1 million in guaranteed compensation) would be a wild shift to the club's financials.
With all the pitfalls and headaches of acquiring Josef Martinez, it's impossible, improbable and silly for Orlando City to sign the former Atlanta United mega star. Ercan Kara is doing fine, and Orlando doesn't need a bigger headache.