Familiar faces, new places: 11 players to watch in 2026 | OneFootball

By Jaime Uribarri

Amid all the big-name newcomers in MLS, some of the most important signings ahead of the 2026 season involve familiar faces with established track records in the league.

We’re talking high-profile names who have either switched teams or are returning to MLS at a different club after stints playing abroad.

Which of these players will have the biggest impact at their new clubs? These 11 standouts (with some honorable mentions thrown in) hope to make the most of their change of scenery in 2026.

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Cristian Espinoza

Forward · Nashville SC

Nashville SC pulled off arguably the biggest free-agent coup of the offseason by signing midfielder Cristian Espinoza as a Designated Player.

One of MLS’s top chance creators since his 2019 arrival from LaLiga side Villarreal, the Argentine ranked fourth in regular-season goal contributions (119; 36g/83a in 218 league games) during his six-season run with the San Jose Earthquakes. 

Espinoza now takes his talents to Nashville, looking to complement star striker Sam Surridge and 2022 Landon Donovan MLS MVP Hany Mukhtar.

Facundo Torres

Forward · Austin FC

After a year in Brazil with South American giants Palmeiras, Torres is back in MLS with Austin FC, who paid a reported $9.5 million for the Uruguayan international winger. 

Facu’s MLS credentials are well known, thanks to a star-making three-year stint (2022-24) with Orlando City. He is the club’s all-time leading scorer (47g/25a in 123 matches), led them to the 2022 US Open Cup title and was a key piece of their historic run to the 2024 Eastern Conference Final. 

Can Torres guide Austin to similar heights? Expectations are high, and he has the added motivation of trying to make Uruguay’s 2026 FIFA World Cup squad.

Tai Baribo

Forward · D.C. United

New D.C. United managing director of soccer operations Dr. Erkut Sogut made the first big move of his tenure by acquiring Baribo from the Philadelphia Union for $4 million guaranteed plus incentives.

Baribo was Philly’s top scorer (19 goals across all competitions) during their 2025 Supporters’ Shield-winning season. The Israeli international also clinched the 2024 Leagues Cup Golden Boot as part of 35g/6a in 67 games for the Union since his August 2023 arrival from Austrian Bundesliga side Wolfsberger AC. 

Along with club-record signing Louis Munteanu, Baribo is tasked with leading a revamped D.C. attack that scored an MLS-low 30 goals en route to a last-place finish in 2025. The Black-and-Red haven’t made the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs since 2019.

João Klauss

Forward · LA Galaxy

For the second straight season, the LA Galaxy faced a Riqui Puig-sized hole to fill after the Spanish No. 10 was put on the Season-Ending Injury List following ACL surgery. 

That roster maneuver opened a DP roster spot, which LA used by acquiring striker João Klauss from St. Louis CITY SC for $2.375 million. 

Klauss is the Galaxy’s presumptive No. 9 after becoming St. Louis’ all-time leading scorer with 27 goals in 85 games. He now joins Gabriel Pec, Joseph Paintsil and Marco Reus in the LA attack.

Mateusz Bogusz

Midfielder · Houston Dynamo FC

Houston Dynamo FC’s winter signing spree culminated with Bogusz, a former LAFC standout who arrives from LIGA MX’s Cruz Azul for a reported $10 million transfer fee.

The 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup winner (he scored a golazo in Cruz Azul's title-clinching victory over Vancouver Whitecaps FC) returns to MLS after producing 24 goals in 90 matches for LAFC from 2023-24. Those numbers made him one of the league’s top rising young stars and opened the doors to the Polish senior national team. 

With Poland approaching last-chance World Cup qualifiers in Europe, Bogusz is a centerpiece in the Dynamo's ambitious rebuild.

Dayne St. Clair

Goalkeeper · Inter Miami CF

Has there been a more ambitious MLS club this offseason than Inter Miami CF?

The defending MLS Cup presented by Audi champions have added notable talent at several key positions, with an emphasis on defensive upgrades. Nowhere is this more evident than at goalkeeper, with Dayne St. Clair signing in free agency after seven seasons with Minnesota United FC (2019-25). 

The two-time All-Star and reigning MLS Goalkeeper of the Year's headline-grabbing move comes at a pivotal time in his national team career: St. Clair is in contention for Canada’s No. 1 goalkeeper job at this summer’s World Cup.

Maxime Crépeau

Goalkeeper · Orlando City

St. Clair’s main competition with Canada? That would be Maxime Crépeau, who’s now in Florida as a free-agent signing for Orlando City. 

The 31-year-old goalkeeper, who spent the last two seasons with the Portland Timbers, has big shoes to fill after the Lions moved on from club legend Pedro Gallese after last season. 

Crépeau and St. Clair could face off twice before the World Cup – on March 1 at Inter&Co Stadium (7 pm ET | Apple TV) and May 2 at Miami Freedom Park (7:15 pm ET | Apple TV, FS1) – adding yet another layer of intrigue to the Florida Derby.

Walker Zimmerman

Defender · Toronto FC

One of the most decorated MLS defenders of all time, Zimmerman has a new home with Toronto FC.

The USMNT center back entered free agency after spending the past six seasons (2020-25) with Nashville SC and, according to Toronto general manager Jason Hernandez, was “at the top of our list” of potential signings. 

There’s good reason for the trust Toronto are placing in Zimmerman. His resumé includes five MLS Best XI honors, four MLS All-Star nods and two MLS Defender of the Year awards.

Luca de la Torre

Midfielder · Charlotte FC

De la Torre’s loan spell with San Diego FC during their historic 2025 expansion season put him on the radar of several MLS clubs. 

Charlotte FC were impressed by what they saw, acquiring the USMNT midfielder from LaLiga’s Celta de Vigo. They've signed him through June 2029. 

With 5g/2a in 37 games (all competitions) for San Diego last year, plus 150 club appearances across nearly a decade of experience in Europe, De la Torre’s mission in 2026 is twofold: push Charlotte’s offense to the next level and bolster his case for inclusion in the USMNT’s World Cup squad.

Cade Cowell

Forward · Red Bull New York

Making this year's World Cup is the stated goal of Cade Cowell, who’s joined Red Bull New York on a season-long loan from LIGA MX side Chivas. 

Is the San Jose Earthquakes homegrown and club-record outbound transfer motivated by USMNT head coach Mauricio Pochettino’s respect for MLS talent? 

Whatever the case may be, Cowell knows how to deliver in MLS, producing 10g/15a in 104 regular-season games for the Earthquakes from 2020-23. And now he'll get the chance to impress under new RBNY manager Michael Bradley, likely starting up top alongside Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting and Jorge Ruvalcaba.

Jacob Shaffelburg

Forward · Los Angeles Football Club

"Incredible pace" and "intensity" were some of the descriptors LAFC used when acquiring Shaffelburg from Nashville SC in exchange for $1 million in General Allocation Money (GAM).

The Black & Gold hope the Canadian international adds even more depth to an already-dangerous attack led by the record-breaking superstar duo of Son Heung-Min and Denis Bouanga.

They'll likely have to wait a bit longer than expected, following news that their new player underwent surgery in January. But with a switch of clubs and the World Cup looming, 2026 could be a defining year for Shaffelburg.

Honorable Mentions

Jakob Glesnes, LA Galaxy: LA acquired the 2022 MLS Defender of the Year, two-time MLS Best XI honoree and three-time MLS All-Star after he won two Supporters' Shields (2022, '25) with the Union. 

Justin Haak, LA Galaxy: The New York City FC homegrown midfielder-turned-defender enjoyed a breakout 2025 season with the Cityzens. Now, Haak bolsters a Galaxy side that conceded 66 goals last year (second-most in MLS). 

Robin Lod, Chicago Fire FC: The versatile Finnish midfielder joined Chicago in free agency after seven seasons with Minnesota. Lod is the Loons' all-time leading scorer with 41g/28a in 185 appearances. 

David Ayala, Inter Miami CF: It speaks volumes that Miami searched within MLS to find a possible successor to retired midfielder Sergio Busquets. That's how much faith the Herons seem to have in Ayala, who arrives from the Portland Timbers.

Micael, Inter Miami CF: A Best XI-caliber center back over two-plus years with Houston, Micael is another high-profile offseason acquisition for Miami. He is on loan for the 2026 MLS season from Brazilian Série A powerhouse Palmeiras.

Braian Ojeda, Orlando City: Orlando acquired Ojeda from Real Salt Lake after he contributed 7g/7a in 123 appearances (all competitions). Capped 14 times by Paraguay, he's looking to make their World Cup roster.

Sean Johnson, D.C. United: A veteran of more than 400 MLS regular-season matches, Johnson adds a proven presence in goal for D.C. after three seasons with Toronto.

Lewis Morgan, San Diego FC: Morgan, who missed most of 2023 and 2025 due to injury, gets a fresh start with San Diego. The Scottish international has 38g/17a in 140 combined games (all competitions) across stints with Red Bull New York and Inter Miami.

Jayden Nelson, Austin FC: Nelson raised his profile last season with 3g/11a in 40 matches for Vancouver, earning a trade to Austin FC that could improve his chances of making Canada's World Cup squad.

Tomás Chancalay, Minnesota United FC: A trade to Minnesota may be just what Chancalay needs to level up. He previously played for the New England Revolution, tallying 17g/3a in 58 appearances.

Brooklyn Raines, New England Revolution: Incoming Revs manager Marko Mitrović is overseeing an influx of young American players he coached during his time with US youth national teams. Chief among them is Raines, a Houston Dynamo homegrown product who bolsters New England's midfield.

Dante Sealy, Colorado Rapids: Sealy enjoyed a breakout 2025 season with CF Montréal, tallying 9g/2a in 30 matches. The Trinidad & Tobago international and FC Dallas homegrown is on the move again, joining Colorado in a trade worth up to $2.5 million GAM.

Cole Bassett, Portland Timbers: Bassett joins Portland, who spent up to $3.7 million for the Colorado homegrown. He produced 31g/21a in 172 matches across two stints with the Rapids.