The 10 most expensive MLS transfers of all time
Cameron Smith
- Updated: 12 Sep 2023 12:05 CDT
- 5 min read
The MLS has grown in stature since the 2000s, with plenty of seasoned professional choosing to spend their final few years in the league, but who are the most expensive transfers into the league?
Some big names have made their way to American soccer at the tail-end of their careers, but increasingly talented players have passed the MLS on the way up instead.
The likes of David Beckham, Frank Lampard, and Steven Gerrard all tried their hand at the MLS, and their presence helped the league develop. Now, there are fewer older European players looking for one last pay day, 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 the MLS' 10 most expensive signings of all time?
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10. Alejandro Pozuelo - €9.1m ($9.6m) (Genk to Toronto FC, 2019)
A Spanish attacking midfielder, Alejandro Pozuelo spent time at Real Betis, Swansea, Real Vallecano and Genk before settling on Canadian shores in the MLS. He joined Toronto FC in 2019, and made 100 appearances before joining Inter Miami for a mere €0.1m after three years in Canada.
With experience in Europe, like the majority on this list, Pozuelo's class shone through. He scored 30 goals and assisted 27 more for Toronto - better than a goal contribution every other game.
9. Evander - €9.5m ($10.2m) (Midtjylland to Portland Timber, 2023)
After progressing through the youth ranks at Vasco da Gama, Brazilian midfielder Evander made a permanent move to Europe in 2019 before joining MLS side Portland Timber in January 2023.
He arrived as the club's record signing and exceeded 10 goal contributions in his first 25 games as a Portland player.
8. Cucho Hernandez - €9.6m ($10.3m) (Watford to Columbus Crew, 2022)
Cucho Hernandez joined Watford back in 2017, but played just 28 games for the Hornets as he was sent on four separate loan spells away.
His time at the English club came to an end in 2022 when Columbus Crew paid €9.6m to bring him to MLS.
Hernandez scored nine goals and provided two assists in 16 appearances during his first MLS season.
7. Rodolfo Pizarro - €10.9m ($12.3m) (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.
6. Brian Rodriguez - €10.5m ($11.3m) (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.
5. Luiz Araujo - €11.5m ($12.3m) (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.
4. Brenner - €11.8m ($12.7m) (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.
3. Esequiel Barco - €12.3m ($13.2m) (Independiente to Atlanta United, 2018)
Signed for significant sum from Argentina, big things were expected of Ezequiel 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 will join River Plate on a permanent deal in 2024 after a successful loan spell back in his homeland.
2. Pity Martinez - €14.5m ($15.6m) (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, where he is now team-mates with a certain Cristiano Ronaldo.
Atlanta did, however, turn a profit on him, selling Martinez for €16m.
1. Thiago Almada - €14.6m ($15.7m) (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 58 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.
