Compared to the summer of 2023, which witnessed Lionel Messi Throw on the pink jersey of Inter Miami – and what might come this summer As Major League Soccer continues to be a player in the international transfer market – the 2024 MLS winter transfer window has been relatively quiet. Many teams have decided, effectively, to bring it back with only minor modifications for teams that reached the playoffs in 2023.
However, there are notable exceptions with new faces MLS fans will learn or familiar faces they will be seeing in the North American League for the first time. Here are the five most exciting new arrivals in MLS ahead of the 2024 campaign kicking off next week.
Hugo Kuipers | Forward | 27 | Chicago fire
After scoring 27 goals for Gent in the 2022-23 season and adding six in 20 league appearances this year, as well as 10 goals in the Europa Conference League, it’s clear you could classify Kuipers as a ‘proven goalscorer’. So, Fire fans should certainly be excited that their side have beaten other clubs and secured the services of the 27-year-old Belgian.
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The last time Chicago scored 15 goals was in 2018, with the top scorers the past two seasons scoring six and eight goals, respectively. Kuipers’ constant movement and willingness to drop deep to find or even recover the ball should make it easy for him to reach and exceed double-digit goal totals, especially with the addition of Killeen Acosta In the midfield and Xherdan Shaqiri Still in the barn.
If reports of a $12 million fee are accurate, the Fire have spent more on a player than any MLS team in history barring Atlanta United’s swoop for the player. Thiago AlmadaPity Martinez and Ezequiel Barco. Expectations come with that kind of ambition and cash outlay. We’ll have to wait and see how Kuipers handles it.
The Swedish international and RB Leipzig vet arrives in MLS at the age of 32 – not quite in his prime, but far from a wash. This is good news, considering that his contract with the Red Bulls runs until 2026.
Forsberg finished his Bundesliga career in the starting lineup and played in 14 matches in the 2023-24 season, scoring in his last Champions League match and in his penultimate Bundesliga match.
He is clearly well-experienced in the Red Bull system, and appears to be the right type of player to work with new coach Sandro Schwarz and to provide new energy to a Red Bulls team that was talented but ran out of gas last season. The preseason isn’t the best barometer ever, but the early returns suggest he’s confident and ready to contribute to a resurgence.
Luis Suarez | Forward | 37 | Inter Miami
You know Luis Suarez. You’ve probably seen him at Barcelona, Liverpool, maybe even at Ajax (you’re a football fan) or over the past 18 months in South America. But does anyone know what this version of Suarez will look like? After a widely covered radio interview, in which Suarez said that his knees were not healthy enough to play with his children, will he be able to play with Messi?
The results of the up-and-down pre-season tour have not been encouraging, with Inter winning just one match abroad, and this round, an opening match in MLS and a place in the CONCACAF Champions Cup, means the 37-year-old will have to manage his body and fitness. Experienced so that he can contribute to Inter Miami during the season.
However, there is still something you can’t look away from: the memories of his partnership with Messi at the Camp Nou, and the fact that he was named Brazil’s Player of the Year after his 26-goal stint with Gremio. And the absolute determination of Suarez, the eternal fighter, to give him another chance.
Although it is becoming more and more frequent, it is still noticeable when a World Cup winner appears in MLS. Former France No. 1 Lloris fits the bill and arrives in Los Angeles on a discount deal, holding no set player spot and under contract for this season with a pair of option years.
What he did with France and during long spells with Tottenham Hotspur and Lyon speaks for itself. He has won honours, made fantastic saves and set advanced metrics that have placed him in the middle of the pack or better in most Premier League seasons. Overall, he is an established player coming into MLS who has a lot to contribute beyond the honors he has earned in the past.
However, Lloris’ arrival brings a level of risk to LAFC as well. The SoCal club has not one but two goaltenders who have shown they can play in MLS John McCarthy (now with LA Galaxy) and Maxime Crépeau (who joined Portland Timbers). His career and reputation certainly suggest that Lloris should be up to the task, but mistakes will be closely examined.
The youngest player on the roster, Barajas won’t turn 18 until April. But the RSL’s new attacking midfielder already has an impressive CV, having spent two seasons with United Soccer League Championship side Charleston Battery.
The Northern California native was also a standout in Mexico’s youth national team, where he captained the team El Tri at the U-17 World Cup in November 2023. It capped off a year that also saw the left-footed player register 11 assists as well as five goals, being named USL Young Player of the Year and making the USL Championship Second Team. All league teams.
The fact that RSL continues to explore USLC, with Barajas joining Diego Luna And Kevon Lambert As notable alumni from Division II, it’s interesting. If this trio enjoys strong seasons in 2024, it could put RSL in a leading position. But Barajas has a chance to show his level is even higher, by learning from his RSL teammates and the coaching staff to better exploit his already prolific talents.
Also receive consideration: Pedro de la Vega (Seattle Sounders) Petar Musa (FC Dallas), Djordje Mihajlović (Colorado Rapids), Gabriel Beck (LA Galaxy), Agustin Ojeda (New York City). Louis Morel (Orlando City SC), Stian Gregerson (Atlanta United).
