The five most expensive MLS signings in 2026

Analysis

Tom Weber | Writer

Major League Soccer's spending power is increasing year on year.

The league's growth since its inaugural season in 1996 has been gigantic and reached its apotheosis with Inter Miami's acquisition of Argentine megastar Lionel Messi, widely considered the greatest soccer player of all time.

The Herons, backed by David Beckham - a transformative signing for MLS in his own right - and the billionaire Mas brothers, have elevated the league to another level financially.

"There are no budget limitations, we will bring the best players we can from anywhere in the world," Jorge Mas stated in 2024. However, Miami are far from the only side to have spent big in pursuit of silverware.

Toronto FC splashed the cash in the mid- and late-2010s to become the gold standard of MLS, while Atlanta United have not been afraid to go big in the market since joining the league in 2017. Unfortunately for the Five Stripes, this approach has been unsuccessful for some time now.

The MLS transfer record has been repeatedly broken over the past 10 years. Currently, Son Heung-min is the most expensive signing in league history after joining LAFC in 2025 for €22 million ($26.5m) - but a 2026 acquisition could yet top that fee.

With the secondary transfer window now closed, MLS clubs will not be able to dip into the market again until next year. Below, FootballTransfers has listed the five most expensive signings of 2026...

5. German Berterame - Monterrey to Inter Miami (€12.6m)

Inter Miami went big after winning MLS Cup in 2025. Despite re-signing Barcelona legend Luis Suarez to a fresh deal, the Herons also brought in a new starting striker in the shape of German Berterame in the offseason.

The Mexico international joined from Monterrey in a €12.6m ($15m) deal after scoring 68 goals in 153 appearances for Rayados. He was not entirely unfamiliar to MLS audiences when he arrived, as he had repeatedly been linked with US clubs in previous years.

FC Cincinnati and the Portland Timbers had been close to striking deals for the Argentina-born striker, but both times Berterame opted to remain in Mexico. Before signing the 27-year-old, Miami made an audacious cash offer for LAFC superstar Denis Bouanga.

Berterame was not the only offensive addition. Tadeo Allende was signed permanently from Celta Vigo for €5m after breaking the record for most MLS playoff goals during his loan spell in 2025.

4. Rodrigo de Paul - Atletico Madrid to Inter Miami (€15m)

Inter Miami boast another of the most expensive signings of 2026 in Rodrigo de Paul, who was also previously on loan at the club. The 2022 World Cup winner initially joined from Atletico Madrid in a controversial deal last summer.

Miami were unable to sign De Paul permanently because all of their Designated Player slots were already filled. They instead agreed a loan deal with a purchase option, but it was an open secret that it was effectively a permanent signing.

With Sergio Busquets retiring after the 2025 season, De Paul took the Spaniard's DP spot after his option was triggered for €15m ($17m).

3. Andre Luiz - Olympiacos to Sporting KC (€15.5m)

Sporting KC went big in the summer transfer window after a historically bad first half of the season. With ownership promising that money wasn't a problem, SKC targeted some big names, including Liverpool legend Mohamed Salah.

The Egyptian would ultimately end up moving to Turkey instead, but Sporting nevertheless splashed the cash. After a lengthy saga, they struck a €15.5m ($18m) deal with Olympiacos for Andre Luiz.

The Brazilian attacker had only been with the Greek giants for a few months after joining from Rio Ave in questionable circumstances in January, with multi-club owner Evangelos Marinakis rejecting several lucrative offers so that he could trade Luiz between two of his teams on the cheap.

This led to a legal probe from Estrela Amadora, one of Luiz's former clubs, as they had a 10% sell-on clause and thus missed out on a huge windfall. The attacker failed to recapture his sparkling form in the wake of his move to Greece, making SKC's fee look like an overpay.

2. Breel Embolo - Stade Rennais to Atlanta United (€15.5m)

Atlanta are once again in rebuilding mode, and just like every head coach that came before him, new/old boss Tata Martino is being backed financially. With Emmanuel Latte Lath having proven to be one of the worst signings in MLS history, the Five Stripes desperately needed a new striker this summer.

They had several ambitious targets: Darwin Nunez, Romelu Lukaku and Breel Embolo. In the end, they managed to sign the latter, though this wasn't without a brief scare.

After reports suggested that Atlanta were finalizing a €15.5m ($18m) deal with Stade Rennais to sign the Switzerland international, a claim from France emerged that Embolo had turned down the offer and was instead looking to move to the Premier League.

This turned out to be false and, after a slight delay, the dynamic forward completed his big-money move.

1. Josh Sargent - Norwich City to Toronto FC (€18.7m)

The player who could still become the most expensive signing in MLS history is USMNT striker Josh Sargent, who was Toronto FC's blockbuster offseason signing. Well, offseason is perhaps not quite accurate given that this transfer saga only concluded after the 2026 season had kicked off.

Norwich City refused to let Sargent go cheaply and wanted a fee similar to the €24m Wolfsburg had been prepared to pay in the summer of 2025, before the former Werder Bremen striker decided that he was not keen on a return to Germany.

With Sargent pushing for the move to Toronto - he wanted to return to North America with his young family - Norwich banished him to the reserves, but the Canaries ultimately convinced TFC to cough up a hefty fee.

The upfront sum of roughly €18.7m ($22m) made Sargent the biggest MLS signing of 2026, and he could actually overtake Son Heung-min's league record of €22m ($26.5m) if all the bonuses in his deal are triggered, taking his final fee to €23.3m ($27m).

Written by

Tom Weber | Writer

Tom Weber is an experienced, multilingual sports writer who specialises in European football and American soccer as part of his freelance work for FootballTransfers.

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