The move of Douglas Costa to the MLS was discussed by Sebastian. (0:30)
It has been quite a while since the MLS season started. Charlotte FC broke their record for an incoming transfer fee. Toronto FC signed the biggest contract in league history when they signed Lorenzo Insigne to a fifteen million dollar a year deal.
Is this a sign that MLS is relaxing its purse-strings more than ever, or is it just maintaining the status quo? The sight of teams like Atlanta United and Toronto FC shelling out big bucks is nothing new, but when teams like the Houston Dynamo and FC Dallas began paying multimillion-dollar transfer fees it looks like a new era.
The four arrivals that were announced in the past two weeks have caught the attention of fans.
Atlanta broke the league record for an incoming transfer, which it previously held with the signing of Pity Martinez, with the arrival of Almada. The Five Stripes sent fifteen million dollars to Independiente in order to sign Ezequiel Barco. The deal is a case of Atlanta being Atlanta.
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There is a cautionary tale about Atlanta's latest high-priced acquisition. It was not because they tore up the league only to be quickly acquired by a European club, like Miguel Almiron did after his two seasons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, but because they are not in Atlanta colors anymore. The players fell short of expectations.
It shows that success in MLS requires more than just spending money. It does help, but there seems to be little doubt about her ability.
Will he work with the other elements of Atlanta's attack? In his half-season stint with Atlanta, Luiz Araujo has already impressed. While his track record is impressive, he still doesn't look like the league's Most Valuable Player, despite scoring a then-record 31 goals in a season. He managed 12 goals in 24 league appearances last season despite a torn knee in 2020 and a bout with Covid-19 the following year.
It is possible that the key to reignite the career of Martinez is the fact that he is a Spaniard. Atlanta fans will expect nothing less than $16m.
The Fire haven't been in the playoffs in more than a decade and have only made the playoffs twice in the past 12 seasons. The Fire will return to their past glories via a club-record transfer fee with another rebuild in the offing.
The foreign acquisitions of a bygone era for MLS are similar to those of Shaqiri. He has a lot of European experience, having played for the likes of FC Basel, FC Barcelona, and FC Porto. In his three years with the Fire, Bastian Schweinsteiger did well, although those types of players haven't always delivered. When he was at Chicago, he had a previous experience with the sporting director, which made him more of a known quantity.
The responsibilities are high for the Swistzerland international. He will be expected to lead the attack and connect with Kacper Przybylko. Who else will he be surrounded by?
The acquisition of Jairo Torres should give a boost to a young player. The wide positions in Chicago will be filled by the likes of Brian Gutierrez, Jhon Duran, and Stanislav Ivanov. The Fire continue to look for another winger, possibly via the U22 Initiative, because there is a lot of youth to be relying upon. During the first part of the season, that reality may require a bit of patience.
Costa is similar to MLS 2.0. He's 31 and while his resume shows he has spent time with many clubs, his most recent spell with Gremio ended badly, as he squabbled with fans, despite the team being demoted to Serie B.
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