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ATLANTA – Atlanta United announced today that it has signed winger Saba Lobjanidze (Sah-bah Lobe-jah-neat-zey) from Turkish Süper Lig side Hatayspor through the 2026 season. The Georgia international will occupy a designated player spot and an international roster spot pending receipt of his International Transfer Certificate (ITC) and P-1 Visa.
“Saba is a player we had spoken to since early in the transfer window and he continued to show his commitment and desire to come to Atlanta throughout the process,” said Atlanta United Vice President and Technical Director Carlos Bocanegra. “Saba brings international quality and experience having played in the World Cup and UEFA Euro qualification in addition to top leagues in Europe. We look forward to integrating him into the team as soon as possible.”
Born in Tbilisi, Georgia, the 28-year-old brings a wealth of playing experience to Atlanta United. Since the 2014–15 season, Lobjanidze has a total of 288 appearances, 69 goals and 57 assists across all club competitions. He began his professional career by coming through the ranks of his hometown club Dinamo Tbilisi. He made his first division debut on 10 August 2014 for Dinamo in a 2–0 win. His first goal came in his first start in a 6-0 win over Shukura. Dinamo won two trophies that season, the Georgian Cup and the Supercup, while Lobjanidze would add the Georgian league title to his resume the following season. In three seasons, he played a total of 60 games with 12 goals and 14 assists, before switching to Denmark with Randers FC in the summer of 2017.
In his first full season in the Danish Superliga, the Georgian winger played a crucial role in helping Randers avoid relegation. After scoring three goals during the regular season, Lobjanidze turned it on in the relegation playoffs, scoring six goals in six games to keep his side in the top flight. He went on to start all 38 of his appearances the following season across all competitions. In his final season in Denmark, Lobjanidze scored nine goals and added three assists in just 16 games before being transferred to Ankaragücü in the Turkish Süper Lig.
The Tbilisi native instantly became an important fixture for his team, starting 45 out of 53 games in his two seasons with the club, before signing with Hatayspor in the summer of 2021 after Ankaragücü were relegated. Lobjanidze scored eight goals and added eight assists in his first Süper Lig season with Hatayspor in 2021-22. He began last season with Hatayspor, playing 21 games in the league before an earthquake forced the club to withdraw from the competition. Lobjanidze spent the rest of the year on loan at Karagümrük, contributing two goals and two assists as the team finished seventh.
Internationally, the winger has earned 34 caps for the Georgian national team. Lobjanidze earned his first cap on 23 January 2017, scoring in a friendly against Uzbekistan. He has experience playing in the World Cup and UEFA Euro Qualifiers as well as the UEFA Nations League with his country. Most recently, he provided the match-winning assist off the bench in a 2-1 win against Cyprus as Georgia sit second in Group A of the 2024 UEFA Euro Qualifiers.
Pronunciation: Sah-bah Lobe-jah-neat-zey
Date of birth: December 18, 1994 (28)
Birthplace: Tbilisi, Georgia
Transaction: Atlanta United signs Saba Lobjanidze from Hatayspor as a Designated Player through the 2026 season on August 2, 2023, pending receipt of his International Transfer Certificate (ITC) and P-1 Visa.
