MLS kicks off its 28th season on Saturday, and as befits a league that wants to be seen as growing, there’s a long list of fascinating new additions to the player pool.
There’s an element of the unknown with this year’s crop of newcomers. MLS’s winter additions don’t include any big-name European stars. Cristiano Ronaldo heard Sporting Kansas City out but still chose Al Nassr, while Inter Miami’s pursuit of Leo Messi remains a situation where Miami is interested, rather than the other way around. There’s not even a Gareth Bale equivalent at this point, though the summer window tends to be when those players arrive.
However, that’s not to say that MLS had a bad time in the transfer market. Teams are able to sign younger players from leagues that used to be fairly inaccessible. They may not have the global cache of a big name in their mid-30s, but we’re talking about the current Europa League assist leader, a top-tier European prospect under the age of 21, and strikers with very promising track records. Casuals may not know their names today, but they’re going to be a big deal in the coming months.
These are the 10 MLS newcomers to pay closest attention to: