MLS is Back: 5 teams that "won" the offseason | OneFootball

By Dax McCarty

The offseason waiting game is over. Matchday 1 is right around the corner.

Before games return, let’s highlight five teams that have meaningfully improved their roster in the transfer market. Whether it’s moves within MLS or abroad, their wheelings and dealings have caught my attention.

Now, the league’s winter transfer window remains open through March 26. We could still see plenty of business in the weeks ahead.

But as things stand, these clubs have earned their flowers (with a special shoutout to Chicago Fire FC and LAFC).

Are You Ready to Kick It? MLS Is Back

Inter Miami CF

Of course, I was going to have Inter Miami on here.

The defending MLS Cup champions went out and signed the league’s best goalkeeper. Dayne St. Clair is still in his prime and will single-handedly keep them in games with his shot-stopping ability. The only question I have is how he will be with his feet, since Miami rely on their goalkeeper so much in the build-up.

Germán Berterame should be the frontrunner for Newcomer of the Year. The Mexican international essentially does all the things that Luis Suárez does well in terms of link-up play, movement, and making life hard for defenders. But he's more dynamic, he's younger, and he’s just as efficient around goal. It's no surprise that other MLS teams tried to get him from CF Monterrey the last couple of years.

I also think Micael's signing is massive. Miami needed a stalwart center back they could rely on to shut down strikers. Noah Allen had a good season and Maxi Falcón was serviceable, but Micael is a bona fide Best XI contender at center back. That's his ceiling. 

As far as a like-for-like replacement for Jordi Alba, it's hard to find someone better than Sergio Reguilón in terms of how they want to play and his profile at left back. And speaking of replacements, David Ayala has massive shoes to fill after Sergio Busquets retired. Nobody expects him to singlehandedly fill that role, but we’ve seen him log quality performances in the Portland Timbers’ midfield. 

Getting Tadeo Allende back on a permanent deal was another no-brainer, and we all knew Rodrigo De Paul was going to stick around. Done and done.

The squad around Lionel Messi has arguably never been stronger, and they have room to add even more. This team should challenge for trophies on multiple fronts.

LA Galaxy

I’m big on improving the spine of your team, and that’s exactly what the Galaxy did this offseason – especially after their defense made far too many mistakes and allowed 66 goals. That was the second-most in MLS and is unacceptable.

Enter Justin Haak and Jakob Glesnes, who are high-level, proven MLS players. 

Haak was probably the most sought-after free agent and provides them with more steel and backbone in the middle, whether he's playing at center back or defensive midfielder. New York City FC might regret losing him. As for Glesnes, his résumé with the Philadelphia Union speaks for itself. He’s the 2022 Defender of the Year, a three-time All-Star and a two-time Best XI selection (including last year!). These are two signings LA had to get right, and they knocked them out of the park.

Then, with João Klauss and Erik Thommy, they’re two really serviceable attackers who bring MLS experience and quality on the ball. Klauss is a reliable goalscorer who was on a poor St. Louis CITY team, but he has a nose for goal and players around him to create chances. Thommy can provide some attacking thrust out of midfield, and similarly stood out on a poor Sporting Kansas City team. 

Is this enough to make LA challenge for MLS Cup again? I’m not sure. But they definitely improved the squad and are better prepared to weather another season with Riqui Puig on the injury table.

Houston Dynamo FC

I really like the Dynamo’s offseason.

Mateusz Bogusz, Guilherme, Lucas Halter, Agustín Bouzat and Héctor Herrera – those are five strong additions who are proven winners and bring leadership qualities. Add depth pieces like Franco Negri and Nick Markanich, and the squad refresh is solid.

Bogusz is an in-prime, MLS-proven attacking player. Guilherme has scored wherever he’s gone, most recently with Santos in Brazil. Halter has played for some big clubs in Brazil and can help steady their backline (it’s been in flux for far too long). Bouzat steps into the base of midfield after strong seasons in Argentina and should complement Jack McGlynn. Herrera’s career is winding down, yes. But you know what you’re getting from him, and he sounds motivated.

Pat Onstad, their president of soccer, did some serious roster surgery because it wasn't good enough last year. The Dynamo were way too inconsistent. But when I look at their new additions to go along with guys like McGlynn, Ondrěj Lingr, Ezequiel Ponce, Nelson Quiñones and Lawrence Ennali, they have X-factors who should make this team significantly better.

Now, if Houston can shore up that back line, and if Halter is as good as I hope he will be, they become a team we’re seriously talking about.

Austin FC

Austin needed more goal-scoring, especially with uncertainty around Myrto Uzuni and Brandon Vazquez recovery from injury. They got exactly that in Facundo Torres, who’s no stranger to MLS from his Orlando City days.

I think he’s a really good signing and a necessary signing. He’ll take some of the attacking impetus and pressure off of Owen Wolff, who can be a creative player but is more of a box-to-box midfielder. Torres will lighten that load and has the motivation of trying to make Uruguay’s 2026 FIFA World Cup team.

Staying in the attack, Jayden Nelson could thrive in Austin. It was a struggle for him to get into a really good Vancouver Whitecaps team. But if you remember, at the beginning of the year, he was putting on a masterclass. With Canada, I wouldn’t be surprised if he sneaks onto their World Cup squad.

Austin added another MLS-proven guy in Joseph Rosales, who’s almost like a Swiss Army knife player. He was underrated at Minnesota United and can play left back, in midfield, or as a winger. He provides depth and versatility at a high level and has Concacaf chops from his time with Honduras.

I’d be remiss not to also highlight Jon Bell. He’s a good depth piece at center back who can step into the lineup and do a reliable job. Free agent signings like that are key when building a successful MLS roster.

Austin got four MLS-proven players who can raise the floor right away. The highlight, of course, is Torres. He’s a fantastic player.

D.C. United

D.C. United are another team that’s secured their spine and improved the attack. And it all starts with Sean squared.

Sean Johnson is getting a little bit older, but he just had one of the best years of his career at Toronto FC. A veteran goalkeeper like him goes a long way and will win you games. Then in Sean Nealis, he adds steel and leadership to the center-back group. He might not start every game, but you know what you’re getting from him.

Moving to the attack, Louis Munteanu and Tai Baribo are here as new DP forwards after the club’s Christian Benteke era ended. They spent a club-record fee (reportedly up to $10 million) to get Munteanu from CFR Cluj in his native Romania, and up to $4.6 million to acquire Baribo from the Philadelphia Union. That’s some serious investment.

Those two moves come after D.C. were one of the worst attacking teams in MLS last year. They were entirely too predictable and now have two really goal-dangerous players. Hopefully they can get on the end of service from new fullbacks like Silvan Hefti and Keisuke Kurokawa, or box-arriving midfielders like Caden Clark and Jackson Hopkins.

Look, the bar for D.C. United has been pretty low the last couple of years. Let's call a spade a spade. But you can see with their additions that there’s real intent to improve, and they certainly have my attention. I still don't think they’ll make the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs, but the ambition is there, and they’ve committed to something entirely different. It all points in the direction of them being more competitive this year.