ATLANTA — Atlanta United has signed United States international midfielder Emerson Hyndman on loan, the club announced Monday night. Hyndman comes from AFC Bournemouth of the English Premier League. Atlanta has the option to purchase at the end of this season.
Hyndman came up in the FC Dallas academy. Atlanta acquired Hyndman’s Discovery Rights from Dallas in exchange for an international roster slot in 2019 and 2020 and $200,000 in General Allocation Money.
The 23-year-old began his professional career with Fulham in 2014 and played two seasons with the English Championship side before moving up to the Premier League with Bournemouth in 2016. His career with the Cherries never materialized, and he played just eight games for the club.
Hyndman took loan spells with Rangers in 2016-17 and Hibernian in 2018-19. In 36 total games for the two Scottish clubs, he contributed five goals and four assists.
Hyndman has two appearances for the U.S. men’s national team.
“We’re excited to bring a talented young player like Emerson in to bolster our midfield,” club vice president and technical director Carlos Bocanegra said in a prepared statement. “In addition to his technical, on-the-ball abilities, he performed well in two physically demanding leagues in the Scottish Premiership and English Championship.”
In Atlanta, Hyndman will join the rotation with Julian Gressel, Darlington Nagbe, Eric Remedi and Jeff Larentowicz as a box-to-box player.
Atlanta manager Frank de Boer has said any player he signs is expected to be able to contribute right away. Hyndman will be eligible to appear for the Five Stripes once the Major League Soccer secondary transfer window opens on July 9. Atlanta hosts St. Louis FC in the U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals on July 10 and travels northwest to meet the Seattle Sounders in league play on July 14.
Club president Darren Eales hinted at the announcement Monday with one of his trademark cryptic tweets. “Crazy Horse a-comin’,” Eales posted, alongside a few emoji, a photo of a waterfront vista and the #5StripesDontStop hashtag. The image depicts a view of the English Channel from Bournemouth, according to the operator of the Atlanta United subreddit Twitter account. Former Liverpool player Emlyn Hughes was nicknamed “Crazy Horse” and shared Hyndman’s initials, per a follower of Atlanta United Fan TV.
Crazy Horse a-comin’…. 👀
🤪🐴 #5StripesDontStop pic.twitter.com/7wweM2MHAh
— Darren Eales (@DEalesNUFC) July 1, 2019