Buckle up, folks. The next week is about to get busy.
Club decision-makers are in sprint mode before the Secondary Transfer Window closes on Aug. 2, a deadline for teams signing players who are under contract elsewhere. The door won't be officially shut – clubs can sign free agents up until the Roster Freeze Date on Sept. 15 – but this summer push is where seasons are often made or broken.
As deals come together, or sometimes fall apart, here are some clubs to keep an eye on. Their phones, for varying reasons, are expected to be quite busy.
Inter Miami have already pulled off a transfer window of historic proportions, creating an FC Barcelona reunion in South Florida by landing Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba on free moves. For good measure, they also brought in rising Paraguayan international midfielder Diego Gómez from Club Libertad.
The Herons might not be done.
Two rising Argentine talents, attacking midfielder Facundo Farías (Colon) and center back Tomás Avilés (Racing), have been linked to the club. Ownership and head coach Tata Martino have also indicated more reinforcements are on the way, continuing to enhance the squad to capitalize on the Messi era. It's one thing to have the greatest player of all time; it's another to surround him with players who maximize his MLS career and allow the collective to thrive.
When all's said and done, Miami may bring in as many as six starters to kickstart this new chapter.
The exact amount isn't known (reportedly north of $25 million), but New York City FC seriously cashed out last week when completing two transfers:
- Taty Castellanos to Italian Serie A side Lazio for a club-record transfer fee. The Argentine striker and 2021 MLS Golden Boot winner spent last season on loan at Girona in Spain's LaLiga.
- Gabriel Pereira to Qatar's Al-Rayyan SC for an undisclosed eight-figure transfer fee. The Brazilian winger was NYCFC's leading scorer this year upon his departure.
I highlight those two parts because now it's incumbent upon City Football Group and sporting director David Lee to spend and reinforce a squad that's on pace to miss the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2015 (their expansion season). They've already brought in Algerian striker Mounsef Bakrar and Norwegian defender Birk Risa, but more swings are needed to seriously compete for trophies.
NYCFC have been linked to Velez Sarsfield winger Julián Fernández, so that's one to watch. It would also fit the mold the profile and background they usual shop in.
Rumors of Mexican star attacker Chucky Lozano departing Serie A champions Napoli for LAFC continue to linger. I'm not proposing any insider info, just noting that would be a home-run signing for on and off-field purposes, particularly with club captain Carlos Vela in his career's latter stages. It's hard to think of a better successor if LAFC want another player in the Vela mold.
For now, the tangible area of focus is LAFC's open DP spot – and given the roster's current complexion, any incoming player of that spend/profile would need to be a Young DP. They're chasing a player in the final third, according to The Athletic's Tom Bogert, somebody who would complement Vela and Dénis Bouanga.
It's already been a busy window for LAFC, shipping forward Kwadwo Opoku to CF Montréal for a near-MLS-record amount of General Allocation Money ($1.75 million) and reportedly soon transferring Ecuadorian international midfielder José Cifuentes to Scotland's Rangers FC. On the incoming front, they've also acquired versatile forward Mario González from Portuguese side Braga and dynamic midfielder Filip Krastev on loan from Belgian side Lommel.
Is there another big piece or two coming to complete the roster tinkering? It sure feels like it.
Toronto's squad makeover feels only in its early stages, with new general manager Jason Hernandez calling the shots and eventually a new coach being installed to truly kickstart the post-Bob Bradley era. Mind you: TFC fans have seen a revolving door on the roster front for a few transfer windows now, so this isn't something new for a club chasing its late-2010s glory doors.
So far, Toronto have acquired midfielders Latif Blessing (trade with New England Revolution) and Franco Ibarra (loan from Atlanta United). There are also strong, credible links to them adding South African attacker Cassius Mailula, and they're reportedly still hoping to bring fullback Richie Laryea back from Nottingham Forest (his loan recently expired). Center back is another area of need.
On the outgoing front, center back Matt Hedges (trade to Austin FC), midfielder Mark-Anthony Kaye (trade to New England) and forward Ayo Akinola (loan to San Jose Earthquakes) have all departed in recent weeks. Then there's smoke around discontent and potential exits for Italian stars Lorenzo Insigne and Federico Bernardeschi, who last summer were brought in as in-prime attackers around whom the whole project was built.
It might not be a whole reset in Toronto, but it's clear plenty of work awaits to contend for trophies once again.
Lingering in the background is Atlanta United's open DP spot after the club dealt Luiz Araújo to Brazilian side Flamengo. While there were links to ex-LAFC star Diego Rossi, The Athletic's Tom Bogert credibly indicates that's more bluster than reality. Instead, a DP winger who can be bought down in the winter appears more realistic.
If that deal gets over the line, it would be the latest indicator of club president/CEO Garth Lagerwey molding Atlanta after joining in November 2022 from the Seattle Sounders. Lagerwey is not in the sporting director/GM role, but his fingerprints are all over Atlanta's roster reload as they build for this season and beyond.
The other interesting topic is what happens with star midfielder Thiago Almada. Atlanta aren't in a rush to sell the 22-year-old World Cup winner this summer, instead holding for a potential league-record outbound transfer fee – keeping open the club's title window with their best player vital to those aspirations. The club's been down this road before, too, before establishing the aforementioned record in 2019 when sending Miguel Almirón to EPL side Newcastle United for a reported $27 million.
Atlanta, who have been consistently inconsistent this season, count French midfielder Tristan Muyumba (from Ligue 2 side EA Guingamp) as their big addition this summer. Fans are clamoring for more.
This one's cheating a bit, since the Galaxy's busy period might come after the Secondary Transfer Window closes on Aug. 2. And the reason is they're limited by transfer sanctions this summer, pursuing two main paths for roster reinforcements:
- Trades or additions within the MLS/domestic market.
- Free agents (likely international) in between the window closing and Roster Freeze Date on Sept. 15.
The last one is particularly intriguing because, with LA not returning to league play until Aug. 20 due to the Leagues Cup break, they could theoretically bring in a free agent(s) and get them integrated tactically, have work papers in hand, etc.
As for positions of need, striker comes to mind following Chicharito's season-ending ACL injury. Ditto for center back with Martín Cáceres out long-term, and even a high-quality winger to supplement Tyler Boyd and Douglas Costa. At the very least, these are areas fans are dreaming about.
LA, after a horrid start to the year, remain in the playoff hunt. Can a clever signing push them over the line?
Philadelphia Union: One of the league's top squads appears set to improve, with Israeli international striker Tai Baribo reportedly joining from Austrian Bundesliga side Wolfsberg. That would only enhance their attack, giving the club striker depth alongside Mikael Uhre and Julián Carranza.
Vancouver Whitecaps FC: After trading jack-of-all-trades standout Julian Gressel to the Columbus Crew for a nice pile of GAM, what replacement plan does the club have in mind? The US international was one of their top players, creating a vacancy in midfield and at wingback.
D.C. United: Indications are D.C. won't stop after adding Brazilian midfielder Gabriel Pirani on loan from Santos – both with incomings and outgoings. It's all geared towards maximizing Wayne Rooney's first full year as head coach (however long he's here, too).
Charlotte FC: Is there more coming beyond veteran midfielders Scott Arfield and Brecht Dejaegere arriving on free moves? They've been linked with midfielder Iván Jaime, who's at Portuguese top-flight side Famalicão, but the likely price tag would push him into DP territory (and there's not an open DP spot).
