Atlanta United legend Rocco Rios Novo has returned to the club after the club signed him on a loan deal that runs until the end of the calendar year. The team announced the deal on Wednesday afternoon.
Rios Novo is yet to feature for his home club Lanus, and his only time in the league remains the two games he played under Gabriel Heinz’s Atlanta United in the CONCACAF Champions League last season. Rios Novo entered in the 45th minute after receiving a red card for Brad Guzan in the first leg against Alagoulense, and then started the second leg during Guzan’s suspension. In that season, Rios Novo started 20 games with Atlanta United 2.
Stylistically speaking, the best feature of Rio Novo is its distribution as well as its on and off reactions. There is also the added benefit of his familiarity with a lot of the team and most importantly, Gonzalo Pineda, who trained with him after Pineda took charge of the team last year. However, Rios Novo is extremely inexperienced at just 19 years old, too young in stature for a goalkeeper – listed at just 5 feet 10 inches.
Rios Novo will not occupy an international place due to the fact that he was born in the United States in Los Angeles, California.
