Transfer Tracker

Official: Atlanta United sign Argentine center back Fernando Meza using TAM

Fernando Meza - warming up with Colo Colo

TRANSFER TRACKER STATUS:Signing


Atlanta United announced Friday they have signed defender Fernando Meza from Liga MX's Club Tijuana using Targeted Allocation Money


Meza, who played with Necaxa in 2019, will occupy an international roster slot and be added to Atlanta’s roster pending the receipt of his International Transfer Certificate (ITC) and P-1 Visa.


The 29-year-old Meza joins Atlanta with 12 years of professional experience in Argentina, Chile and Mexico. He made 39 appearances for Necaxa in 2019 across all competitions.

“Fernando is an athletic, ball-playing center back who immediately strengthens our defense,” Atlanta VP and technical director Carlos Bocanegra said in a statement. “He brings more than a decade of top-flight experience in Argentina, Chile and Mexico and will be a veteran presence for our backline.”


Meza's signing comes on the same day that Atlanta revealed former center back Leandro Gonzalez Pirez had been sold to another Liga MX side, Club Tijuana.


Meza spent seven years as a professional at his boyhood club San Lorenzo, interspersed with loan spells at Olimpo and Club San Marcos before a permanent transfer to Palestino in Chile in 2015. He then moved to Necaxa in 2016, back to Chile in January of 2017 where he helped Colo-Colo to the Primera Division and Supercopa de Chile titles. He returned to Necaxa last winter.