Players have reported to camp this week, as preseason has officially begun across MLS. You can jump on the social media platform of your choice and see clips of your dudes jogging, joking and hopefully not sporting too many extra pounds from the holidays.
Rosters around the league, naturally, are in various states of disrepair. Consider this a primer on the state of things, and a look at the biggest issue each front office has to address.
Western Conference today, Eastern Conference tomorrow. In we go:
- DP slots: 3/3 - Osman Bukari, Sebastián Driussi, Brandon Vazquez
- U22 slots: 1/3 - Žan Kolmanič
- Available GAM (as of 12/19): $3,162,071
Sporting director Rodo Borrell worked so hard over the holidays that he was reduced to tears upon getting the Vazquez move – reportedly a deal for north of $10 million – over the line. Vazquez is a very good player, but I wouldn’t be surprised if there were some tears (joyful) on Monterrey’s side of things as well.
The midfield remains a work in progress, even with the reportedly imminent arrival of Argentinian No. 8 Nicolás Dubersarsky.
Biggest Transfer Need
They’re only technically 3/3 on DPs because the reported Driussi move to Estudiantes hasn’t gone through yet. But then they’re immediately back to 3/3, as they’re almost certainly going to sign Albanian international attacker Myrto Uzuni (currently with Granada) with that open DP slot.
Like Driussi, Uzuni is more of a second forward than a midfielder or winger, which makes me think the midfield work Borrell and new head coach Nico Estévez are progressing towards ends up in some sort of 3-4-2-1 or maybe even a 3-4-1-2 with Uzuni and Vazquez up top.
- DP slots: 3/3 - Kévin Cabral, Djordje Mihailovic, Rafael Navarro
- U22 slots: 1/3 - Cole Bassett
- Available GAM (as of 12/19): $3,980,215
Aside from one big trade to grab Chidozie Awaziem and Ian Murphy from Cincy, the Rapids have had a very quiet winter. Sure, they went out and snagged some SuperDraft picks – theirs and Philly’s – and signed Cole Bassett’s younger brother (who was an excellent college No. 10 that probably projects as an 8 in MLS) to a homegrown deal.
But the truly big work was done last winter and a little bit over the summer.
Biggest Transfer Need
Talk of an overseas transfer for center back Andreas Maxsø, which would free up a ton of cap room, has gone quiet. Given the Rapids are expected to switch from their 4-2-3-1 to a 3-4-2-1 this year, I feel that makes sense: keep the experienced Maxsø around for at least half a season while the younger CBs find their footing.
Also, Cabral is entering the final guaranteed season of his deal. It would make sense to wait until the summer window to buy him out and bring in a new DP to push down the stretch.
- DP slots: 2/3 - Petar Musa, Alan Velasco
- U22 slots: 3/3 - Geovane Jesus, Enes Sali, Léo Chú
- Available GAM (as of 12/19): $4,482,846
Dallas have been undergoing what’s almost an entire overhaul.
Gone are Jesús Ferreira and Paul Arriola, traded to Seattle for GAM, an international roster slot, and Chú. Velasco is likely out the door next as Boca Juniors have reportedly made a Godfather offer. In are at least 13 new players – including likely starting right back Shaq Moore – and a bunch of SuperDraft picks. Plus, as always, there are a bunch of academy signings via North Texas SC.
New head coach Eric Quill’s got a lot to sort through.
By the way, that GAM number above? With all the moves they’ve made over the past month, and the moves likely to come, that’s going to be over $8 million. Or $10 million if they go the 2/4/2 route.
Biggest Transfer Need
If Velasco’s sold, they need a No. 10. Everything else takes a back seat to that. Even central defense.
- DP slots: 2/3 - Sebastián Ferreira, Ezequiel Ponce
- U22 slots: 3/3 - Ibrahim Aliyu, Lawrence Ennali, Nelson Quiñones
- Available GAM: $2,063,538
I’m bummed that they’re reportedly about to sell Coco Carrasquilla to Pumas, but look at that GAM number. They had to do it. This team went for it the past couple of years, bringing 2025 GAM forward and using it on the 2023-24 salary budgets, and got rewarded with a trophy and a revitalized club.
It’s left them in a position where their hands are effectively tied, and all the pressure is on head coach Ben Olsen to develop guys like Aliyu, Quiñones and Brooklyn Raines, who I have big hopes for.
Biggest Transfer Need
An elite, match-winning, DP No. 10. Also, a sucker of a team to take Ferreira off their hands.
- DP slots: 2/3 - Dániel Sallói, Nemanja Radoja
- U22 slots: 2/3 - Logan Ndenbe, Robert Voloder
- Available GAM (as of 12/19): $3,390,955
Sporting got a giant-sized “get out of jail free” card when Chivas came in and purchased Alan Pulido, opening up a DP slot (and $3.6 million of discretionary spending!) to play with.
Now that they’ve made the big move, the runway is clear to add significant pieces elsewhere.
Biggest Transfer Need
More than anything else, I think Sporting need a guy who can get on the ball and dominate/orchestrate in central midfield. The latest rumor has them linked to Barça B captain Unai Hernández, who is out of contract this summer and has apparently been frozen out of the team because of it.
Getting that midfield centerpiece, whether it’s Hernández or not, is easily the most important job this winter for GM Mike Burns.
(While they’re in Spain, maybe knock on Getafe’s door and see if Carles Aleñá’s ready for a new adventure?)
- DP slots: 2/3 - Denis Bouanga, Olivier Giroud
- U22 slots: 2/3 - David Martínez, Cristian Olivera
- Available GAM (as of 12/19): $3,770,022
Getting Jeremy Ebobisse as a free agent suggests they’re committed to playing with a true center forward this year – between him and Giroud, they should cover the vast majority of minutes across all competitions.
Does this mean Mateusz Bogusz is going back to central midfield, which was his original position? That’s starting to feel likely given how barren that spot is on the depth chart, even after they signed Norwegian Odin Thiago Holm this week.
Biggest Transfer Need
LAFC are once again a bit thin at fullback after selling Omar Campos, but the real issue is d-mid after letting Ilie Sánchez and Eduard Atuesta walk.
I don’t expect them to go big on it – they’re saving that DP slot for Antoine Griezmann this summer, I’m pretty sure – but whether it’s a 4-3-3 or a 5-2-3, they need someone in there who can cover ground, win the ball and complete a pass or two. If the Igor Jesus reports come to fruition, then presumably he's the guy (maybe on a U22 deal).
- DP slots: 3/3 - Riqui Puig, Gabriel Pec, Joseph Paintsil
- U22 slots: 1/3 - Julián Aude
- Available GAM (as of 12/19): $2,416,000
The Galaxy were forced into a couple of moves – MLS Cup MVP Gastón Brugman to Nashville for Sean Davis, and Jalen Neal to CF Montréal for cash and an international roster slot – that were aimed at smoothing out their salary-cap situation. They were also necessary since Dejan Joveljić graduated from U22 status and now hits the roster at a higher budget charge.
They’re in good shape overall, but it’s a case of what you see is what you get as they don’t have a ton of room to maneuver right now.
Biggest Transfer Need
They’re still in talks with veteran center back Maya Yoshida about returning, which is the main job. They've also been linked to another veteran center back, Danish international Mathias Jørgensen (who goes by the nom de plume "Zanka"). I'm expecting that one to get done.
I also expect them to use one of their open U22 slots on a young No. 9, hoping to find the next Joveljić. Though they're actually most strongly linked to Lucas Sanabria, a 21-year-old Uruguayan d-mid currently at Nacional.
- DP slots: 3/3 - Joaquín Pereyra, Teemu Pukki, Kelvin Yeboah
- U22 slots: 2/3 - Bongokuhle Hlongwane, Sang Bin Jeong
- Available GAM (as of 12/19): $4,547,572
Pukki’s time in Minnesota is reportedly ending, which makes sense when you consider that he’s entering the final six months of his contract and is no higher than third on the center forward depth chart. A mutual buyout makes the most sense.
Biggest Transfer Need
Opening up Pukki’s DP slot lets Minnesota sign the DP central midfielder they obviously need to compete with the best in the West.
The rest of the roster is solid to excellent – they could clearly upgrade a couple of spots on the backline, and I’m sure they’re thinking about that. But central midfield is where the gap between the Loons and the teams that actually won stuff was most obvious.
- DP slots: 2/3 - Evander, Jonathan Rodríguez
- U22 slots: 3/3 - Antony, David Ayala, Santiago Moreno
- Available GAM (as of 12/19): $2,767,783
For a team that went into the offseason with some reportedly unhappy campers, the Timbers have slow-played the offseason so far.
Backup central midfielder Eryk Williamson is out, reportedly off to Charlotte for a handful of GAM, and backup winger Ariel Lassiter is in, signed as a free agent. They’re also reportedly about to sign Ecuadorian international d-mid Joao Ortiz, who – I’m guessing here – would probably, finally, displace the legendary Diego Chara from the starting XI.
Talks about acquiring former FC Cincinnati striker Kevin Kelsy have percolated all winter as well, but that doesn’t seem imminent.
Biggest Transfer Need
Getting clarity on the Evander situation (i.e., making sure he’s happy in Portland and ready to produce at an MVP level again) supersedes everything else. It does seem like the vultures are circling.
If Evander's content, the main job becomes center forward. Maybe even finding a DP starter who’d knock Felipe Mora into a TAM slot.
- DP slots: 1/2 - Diogo Gonçalves
- U22 slots: 4/4 - Diego Luna, Dominik Marczuk, Braian Ojeda, Nelson Palacio
- Available GAM (as of 12/19): $4,133,765
That GAM total is now around $6 million when you factor in the trades of Chicho Arango and Anderson Julio. Factor in the 2/4/2 roster model they’ll almost certainly follow, and it’s in the neighborhood of $8 million. Add in the reported impending Gavin Beavers sale to Brøndby, and can it hit $10 million?
Which is to say RSL have plenty of room to do a lot of stuff with this roster.
Biggest Transfer Need
They don’t need a lot of stuff, though. What they really need is a center forward who can produce like Chicho did in the first half of last season, and for Luna, Marczuk and Gonçalves to take steps forward this year.
I expect them to go big on that DP No. 9, even after ultimately taking a bath on the Chicho signing. We saw last year that, without a go-to goalscorer, the whole thing doesn’t work.
- DP slots: 1/3 - Hirving Lozano
- U22 slots: 1/3 - Heine Bruseth
- Available GAM (as of 12/19): $5,095,000
San Diego are slow-playing this build, man. The defense is mostly set and so is deep midfield, but there’s no No. 10, there’s no real right winger, there’s only one DP, and the presumed starting No. 9 has one double-digit scoring season in the past eight years.
The Kevin De Bruyne links are fun, but sporting director Tyler Heaps has got to start adding some top-end talent.
Biggest Transfer Need
Top-end, match-winning talent in midfield and on the wing opposite Lozano. Maybe even up top as well, since Marcus Ingvartsen (5g/1a in 17 appearances) has not exactly been tearing it up in the Danish Superliga.
There remains a lot of work to do.
- DP slots: 4/3 - Chicho Arango, Cristian Espinoza, Hernán López, Carlos Gruezo
- U22 slots: 0/3
- Available GAM (as of 12/19): $3,550,810
Yeah, you’re seeing that right. As of right now, as far as I can tell, San Jose have four guys for three DP slots. It’s not an issue until the Roster Compliance Date, which is on Friday, February 21.
So between now and then, they’ll either have to trade, sell, or buy one of those guys out (or, if possible, buy one down – though I don’t think any of them are structured in a way where they can be).
As per everything I’ve heard, it’s Gruezo who’s being shown towards the door. There are certainly teams in the league that could use him.
Biggest Transfer Need
I’d love to see them use those U22 slots to get high-upside young pieces in. Right now the front line is a bit thin, though that becomes less of a concern if homegrown Cruz Medina is finally ready to contribute.
- DP slots: 3/3 - Pedro de la Vega, Jordan Morris, Albert Rusnák
- U22 slots: 1/3 - Josh Atencio
- Available GAM: $4,215,203
With the additions of Jesús Ferreira and Paul Arriola for a huge chunk of that GAM, and by retaining Rusnák (signed to a two-year DP deal) and João Paulo (signed for one more year at something around $700k), CSO Craig Waibel kept the most important parts of last year’s Western Conference finalists together while adding both top-end quality and depth to a team that’s going to compete across five different competitions.
The floor is higher than just about anybody else in the league.
Biggest Transfer Need
Seattle's roster doesn’t have huge needs at this point, especially if Travian Sousa (attacking left back) and Leo Burney (center back) keep the parade from Tacoma Defiance to the first team going.
The one spot you could maybe pick at is central midfield, though even there the Sounders are six or seven deep. Still, if you were betting on them to use one of those open U22 slots somewhere, that’d be it. Though I wouldn’t expect that to happen until the summer window.
- DP slots: 3/3 - Roman Bürki, Marcel Hartel, João Klauss
- U22 slots: 2/3 - Chris Durkin, Jake Girdwood-Reich
- Available GAM (as of 12/19): $5,306,579
St. Louis' busy summer has meant a comparatively calm winter, with veteran center back Timo Baumgartl the big signing so far. Conrad Wallem, a 24-year-old Norwegian midfielder who can reportedly play in the middle and at either wingback spot, is reportedly on his way next.
Biggest Transfer Need
You could argue they need another true central midfielder and that they’re thin at left wingback (expect them to switch to a 3-4-2-1 this year) with the injury to Jayden Reid. I wouldn’t be surprised if both of those spots are addressed.
The real question, though, is center forward. Will a rotation of Klauss, Simon Becher and Caden Glover be good enough?
If they decide the answer is no, remember that Klauss is entering the final guaranteed year of his deal.
- DP slots: 3/3 - Ryan Gauld, Andrés Cubas, Stuart Armstrong
- U22 slots: 2/3 - Édier Ocampo, Pedro Vite
- Available GAM (as of 12/19): $3,658,458
They transferred Déiber Caicedo and let Fafà Picault walk in free agency and… that’s it. Though they did just hire a head coach, former Brøndby IF manager Jesper Sørensen, so maybe the signings start flowing now.
For a team that came so close to pulling off an upset over LAFC in the playoffs, this has got to feel like a letdown.
Biggest Transfer Need
One more goalscorer? Fafà had 10 across all competitions – one about every 200 minutes – last year, mostly coming in off of that left wing as an ultra-attacking left wingback in the since departed Vanni Sartini’s 3-4-2-1 (that became a 4-3-2-1 in the playoffs).
Is Ali Ahmed going to take that spot now? Or Ryan Raposo (presuming he returns)? Both are good players, but neither has been consistently goal-dangerous as pros.
Free agent wingers Johnny Russell or Jonathan Lewis make some sense here.
