The 10 most expensive MLS transfers of all time

Cameron Smith

• 10 Feb 2024 13:54 GMT
• 5 min read

MLS has grown in stature since the 2000s, with plenty of seasoned professionals choosing to spend their final few years in the league, but who are the most expensive transfers into the American top flight?

Some big names have made their way to US soccer at the tail-end of their careers, but increasingly talented players have passed MLS on the way up instead.

The likes of David Beckham, Frank Lampard, and Steven Gerrard all tried their hand at MLS, and their presence helped the league develop. Now, there are fewer older European players looking for one last payday, with a better quality of players coming through academies, or being scouted from South America.

READ MORE: The 10 most expensive WSL transfers of all time

The USMNT is now filled with recognisable stars, such as AC Milan's Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie, who is at Juventus.

But, who are MLS' 10 most expensive signings of all time?

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10. Cucho Hernandez - €9.55m (Watford to Columbus Crew, 2022)

Former Watford striker Cucho Hernandez was snapped up by the Columbus Crew for €9.55m in the summer of 2022 in what has proved a transformative transfer for the Ohio-based side.

Cucho has been nothing short of spectacular for the Crew, helping them win MLS Cup in 2023 with a combined 21 goals during the regular season and the playoffs, including a goal against LAFC in the final.

9. Petar Musa - €10m (Benfica to FC Dallas, 2024)

FC Dallas made Benfica striker Petar Musa their record signing when they shelled out €10m for him in the winter of 2024. The Croatian striker will hope to reignite his career in the US, having had some fairly poor spells in different European countries.

A complete ghost during a short spell at Union Berlin, the 25-year-old became pretty prolific at Boavista before being snapped up by Benfica where he ultimately became nothing more than a bit-part player.

8. Brian Rodriguez - €10.5m (Penarol to Los Angeles FC, 2019)

Joining from Penarol in his native Uruguay, Brian Rodriguez failed to hit the ground running at LAFC. In his first 42 appearances for the club, he scored just five goals, although he did contribute nine assists.

He was loaned to Spanish second-tier side UD Almeria for the 2020/21 season, but he failed to score a single goal for them in 16 appearances. He joined Club America in 2022.

7. Rodolfo Pizarro - €10.9m (Monterrey to Inter Miami CF, 2020)

Rodolfo Pizarro had no experience of Europe prior to joining the MLS, instead he was plying his trade in Mexico.

He joined Beckham's Inter Miami in 2020, but couldn't help them finish any higher than 10th in his debut campaign.

He scored three goals and four assists in 16 games in his first year, and followed that up with similar numbers in his second, before returning to Liga MX on loan and then leaving on a free transfer for AEK Athens in 2023 to free up roster space for the likes of Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba.

6. Luiz Araujo - €11.5m (Lille to Atlanta United, 2021)

This was a surprising move as Luiz Araujo swapped France for the USA in 2021. Fresh from winning the Ligue 1 title with Lille, Araujo decided to leave despite making 28 appearances in Les Dogues' triumphant domestic campaign.

He joined Atlanta United, who had finished a disappointing 12th in 2020/21. After 13 goals and 11 assists in 63 matches, Araujo was sold to Flamengo for €9m in 2023.

5. Brenner - €11.8m (Sao Paulo to Cincinnati, 2021)

Brenner joined the MLS in February 2021 after a stellar season in Brazil. He had scored 11 goals and assisted three in 27 appearances for Sao Paulo, which prompted Cincinnati to fork out $13.4m to sign him.

After a slow start, he found his range in 2022, scoring 18 goals in 29 MLS games. In total, the Brazilian netted 27 goals in 73 Cincinnati appearances before joining Udinese in 2023.

4. Hugo Cuypers - €12m (KAA Gent to Chicago Fire, 2024)

After years of underperformance, the Chicago Fire broke the bank to sign a big-name new striker in early 2024. Hugo Cuypers was brought in from Belgian side Gent for €12m after a fairly underwhelming start to the 2023/24 campaign that saw him score just six league goals.

Nevertheless, Cuypers arrived with big expectations, having netted a whopping 20 goals and 13 goals for Gent and Mechelen, respectively, in the two previous seasons.

3. Esequiel Barco - €12.3m (Independiente to Atlanta United, 2018)

Signed for a significant sum from Argentina, big things were expected of Esequiel Barco at Atlanta United. However, he failed to really deliver.

In 107 appearances, he scored just 19 goals, while assisting 18. For the third-most expensive signing in the league's history, it wasn't quite good enough.

He joined River Plate on a permanent deal in early 2024 after a successful loan spell back in his homeland.

2. Pity Martinez - €14.5m (River Plate to Atlanta United, 2019)

Yet another Atlanta signing, Gonzalo 'Pity' Martinez also joined from Argentina, like Barco.

With three Argentina caps to his name, he was clearly a good player, but only lasted 18 months in MLS. During that time he scored 11 goals and assisted 14 in 54 appearances, before being sold to Al-Nassr, joining a certain Cristiano Ronaldo at the club.

Atlanta did, however, turn a profit on him, selling Martinez for €16m.

1. Thiago Almada - €14.6m (Velez Sarsfield to Atlanta United, 2022)

The most expensive MLS import of all time arrived in February 2022, when Thiago Almada swapped Velez Sarsfield for, you guessed it, Atlanta.

An attacking midfielder or winger, Almada scored 17 goals and provided 20 assists in his first 60 games for Atlanta.

He was also part of Argentina's victorious World Cup squad in 2022, although Almada only featured for six minutes in Qatar as Lionel Messi and Co. went on to lift the trophy.

The 10 most expensive MLS signings of all time