Atlanta United name Chris Henderson chief soccer officer, sporting director
Atlanta United have hired Chris Henderson as chief soccer officer and sporting director, the club announced Monday. The longtime MLS front-office executive arrives after serving as Inter Miami CF's chief soccer officer and sporting director from 2021-24. Henderson also spent 2008-20 with Seattle Sounders FC, where he worked closely with Atlanta CEO/president Garth Lagerwey.
Chicago Fire sign defender Jack Elliott
Chicago Fire FC have signed center back Jack Elliott in free agency. The longtime Philadelphia Union defender is under contract through 2025 with an option for 2026, arriving as a centerpiece under new director of football/head coach Gregg Berhalter.
New York City FC transfer Nicolás Acevedo to Brazilian side
New York City FC have transferred midfielder Nicolás Acevedo to Brazilian Série A side Esporte Clube Bahia. The 25-year-old former Uruguay youth international has spent the past two seasons on loan with Bahia. He made 82 appearances (all competitions) for the Cityzens, featuring for sides that won MLS Cup 2021 and the 2022 Campeones Cup.
Inter Miami vs. Club América: Preseason match set for Las Vegas
In preparation for their 2025 campaign, Inter Miami CF will face LIGA MX champion Club América on Saturday, Jan. 18 for a preseason friendly at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada (10 pm ET). Inter Miami are looking to build off a historic 2024 season. They won the Supporters’ Shield and set the MLS single-season points record (74). Club América recently won their third straight LIGA MX title, making them the winningest team in Mexican league history with 16 titles.
The MLS offseason is short. It feels like you blink and we go from lifting MLS Cup to the next season kicking off. In reality, it’s about two months, but there are some big moves in those 60 or so days between competitive MLS matches.
Let’s take a look at some of the biggest so far this offseason.
Ever since Brandon Vazquez departed for LIGA MX last winter, FC Cincinnati have needed a No. 9.
It would appear they’ve finally gotten their man when Kévin Denkey arrived from Belgian top-flight side Cercle Brugge for a reported club-record $16.2 million transfer fee. The 24-year-old Togo international, signed as a Designated Player, won the 2023-24 Belgian Pro League scoring title with 27 goals.
He had 34 goals in the Belgian Pro League over the past two seasons. Guys with the last name Kane and Haaland are two of just four from European leagues who have scored more than him during that time.
Will Denkey’s arrival perk up Luciano Acosta, who expressed some uncertainly about his future with Cincinnati following an earlier-than-expected departure from the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs?
No doubt, pairing a proven scorer like Denkey with one of the league’s premier playmakers in Acosta should have Cincy fans buzzing.
It feels like there’s a perennial rebuild in San Jose, the California club that has been stuck in neutral for years. The Earthquakes haven’t finished higher than 11th overall in 11 years, with just three playoff appearances during that time. Meanwhile, LAFC and LA Galaxy have won MLS Cups and there's a buzz about expansion side San Diego FC.
Enter Bruce Arena, the most successful coach in the league’s history. He’s overseen dynasties at D.C. United and the Galaxy, while guiding the New England Revolution to their first-ever Supporters’ Shield.
And now the hierarchy in San Jose is betting Arena can work his magic again, handing him the keys in November.
Can Bruce do it again? That remains to be seen and there's a lot of construction ahead, but there’s no question this was a big move from Quakes management.
Inter Miami moved quickly to find Tata Martino’s replacement, hiring Javier Mascherano as head coach late last month.
The 40-year-old reunites with Lionel Messi, a longtime teammate with Argentina and Barcelona, having most recently guided Argentina’s youth national teams.
While there’ll be familiarity with some of the higher-paid players on the Miami roster, Mascherano is a rookie when it comes to club coaching and a novice in MLS. Good thing Chris Henderson is there to help a new coach navigate the complicated MLS mechanisms.
Oh wait...
Atlanta United are also banking on Chris Henderson’s track record of success to continue at the Benz with the announcement Monday he’d become the club’s new chief soccer officer and sporting director.
He moves north from Miami where he oversaw a remarkable transformation, brilliantly navigating the complicated world of MLS rules and regulations to bring in the likes of Messi, Luis Suárez and the boys from Barcelona as the Herons set a league record for points en route to winning the Supporters’ Shield.
And before that, he was part of the architecture firm, along with Garth Lagerwey, in Seattle where the Sounders became the first MLS team to win the Concacaf Champions Cup, to go along with a pair of MLS Cups, one Supporters’ Shield and four U.S. Open Cup titles.
Like San Jose, Chicago Fire FC have woefully underachieved. For seven straight seasons, they’ve been near the bottom of the overall table and have made the playoffs just once in the last 12 years... and that was a first-round departure.
So the winds of change bring in former US men’s national team manager Gregg Berhalter. Before leading the USMNT, Berhalter was a successful coach with Columbus Crew, where they qualified for the postseason in four of his five seasons and reaching MLS Cup in 2015.
Can Berhalter restore Fire FC to their previous glory? Or at least a playoff appearance? It begins with an offseason overhaul of the roster, which included signing standout center back Jack Elliott in free agency Monday.
Philadelphia Union re-sign Alejandro Bedoya: The Philadelphia Union have re-signed midfielder Alejandro Bedoya through the 2025 MLS season. The long-serving Union captain – who was out of contract – will return for his 10th season at the club while continuing the role of player development and front office specialist he took on in 2024.
DC United sign Brazilian winger João Peglow: D.C. United have signed winger João Peglow from Polish top-flight side Radomiak Radom. The 22-year-old former Brazil youth international is under contract through 2027 with an option for 2028.
- Matt Doyle unveiled Part I of his transfer primer, breaking down five Western Conference teams to watch this winter.
- What has MLS' newest team been up to? Check out San Diego FC's roster build to date.
Good luck out there. Reunite with an old friend during the holiday season.
