Transfer season is in full swing in Europe, and MLS is also gaining momentum with signings and trades as clubs actively shape their rosters for the 2025 season.
Some teams, like Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami and Brian Schmetzer’s Seattle Sounders, are preparing for more than just the regular season — competitions like the FIFA Club World Cup are also on the horizon.
Messi’s arrival signaled a new era of ambition and expectation for the league’s now 30 teams, and big moves aren’t limited to transfers alone. Trades have played a pivotal role in shaping champions, with Darlington Nagbe’s arrivals in both Atlanta United and Columbus Crew serving as prime examples of title-winning impact.
This offseason, similarly high-caliber players are available. Some, like U.S. internationals Duncan McGuire, Julian Gressel, and Eryk Williamson, have seen their roles diminish at their current clubs. Others, like 2023 MVP Lucho Acosta and winger Robert Taylor, remain stars but might benefit from a change of scenery after a challenging 2024 campaign.
The blockbuster $2.5 million trade sending Leonardo Campana to the New England Revolution from South Beach kicked off trade season. Acosta, Gressel, Taylor, McGuire, and Williamson are five names to watch as potential candidates to follow suit.
GOAL examines and offers some insight into where the ideal destination for the next stage of their careers may lie.