Star signings and new coaches: Why every MLS team should be hopeful in 2024
The offseason is a time of hope. After all, teams almost always look good on paper – and they look even better with the promise of a key transfer deal floating somewhere on the horizon.
From superstars ready to shine to savvy transfer moves to front office changes, here’s why your team should be hopeful ahead of the 2024 season.
Atlanta United
Reason to hope: Thiago Almada is still here
For as long as Thiago Almada is suiting up for the Five Stripes, Atlanta are trophy contenders. Eventually, a smart European suitor will slide an irresistible offer across Atlanta United president and CEO Garth Lagerwey’s desk. When that happens, Atlanta fans can take solace in the fact that Lagerwey is one of the league’s best roster-builders. But for now, the 22-year-old World Cup winner is written in pen as their starting No 10.
Austin FC
Reason to hope: There’s a new voice leading the front office
Sporting director Rodolfo Borrell represents a fresh start in Austin FC’s front office. Hired as Claudio Reyna’s replacement in June of last year (Reyna was removed as part of the fallout from the Berhalter/Reyna family controversy), Borrell needs to reshape a poor roster. A former assistant to Pep Guardiola at Manchester City, the 52-year-old has a promising pedigree.
Charlotte FC
Reason to hope: Ownership is still willing to spend
It’s been a bleak start to life in MLS for Charlotte FC, who haven’t finished higher than ninth in the East in either of their two seasons in the league. Despite a lack of success, Charlotte’s ownership group will keep spending. Reports are now connecting Charlotte to a $9.5m deal for Albert Grønbæk, a 22-year-old Danish attacking midfielder.
Chicago Fire
Reason to hope: Roster flexibility
The Chicago Fire have one open Designated Player spot – and could have another if they can find a new home for the underperforming Jairo Torres. They’ve taken big swings with their DP spots before (see: Xherdan Shaqiri), and Fire fans should expect another one before the new season starts.
FC Cincinnati
Reason to hope: You’re a top MLS club now
After Cincinnati fans were forced to watch their team languish at the bottom of the league for three years, the last two have represented a complete change in fortunes. The club made the playoffs in 2022 and won the Supporters’ Shield in 2023. Earlier this offseason, coveted free agent and USMNT center back Miles Robinson chose Cincinnati as his next stop. This club is now clearly one of the big boys.
Colorado Rapids
Reason to hope: The attack will be stronger
No team in MLS scored fewer goals than the Colorado Rapids in 2023. But with a couple of promising early offseason moves, it’s easy to see Colorado’s attack taking a step forward this year. Djordje Mihailovic, who was a top No 10 for CF Montréal before testing the waters in the Eredivisie, and Omir Fernandez, a well-rounded attacking midfielder signed as a free agent, will elevate the Rapids.
Columbus Crew enter the new season as the defending MLS Cup Final champions. Photograph: Adam Cairns/USA Today Sports
Columbus Crew
Reason to hope: The band is (mostly) back together
After winning the MLS Cup in 2023, most of the Columbus Crew’s essential players appear to be sticking around for an encore. Outside the right wingback spot, where Julian Gressel signed for Inter Miami and Mo Farsi is reportedly drawing interest from a club in Dubai, it should be the same group with even more depth in 2024.
DC United
Reason to hope: Organizational change is under way
It’s been an offseason filled with much-needed change for DC United. In the front office, longtime chief Dave Kasper has been replaced by newcomer Ally Mackay. Closer to the field, DC hired Troy Lesesne as their new head coach. Fresh faces should represent change for a DC United team that hasn’t finished higher than eighth in the East since 2019.
FC Dallas
Reason to hope: You have two of the brightest young attackers in MLS
With Jesus Ferreira, 23, creating chances for himself and his teammates through the center and Bernard Kamungo, 22, causing problems for opposing fullbacks out wide, Dallas have two of the best young attackers in the league. Ferreira scored 12 goals and added 4 assists last year, while Kamungo burst on to the scene in the summer and scored six goals in just 500 minutes.
Houston Dynamo
Reason to hope: Hector Herrera can power another run
No one expected the Dynamo to finish fourth in the West last year. No one expected them to make a run to the Western Conference Final, either. And yet, with Hector Herrera dominating the midfield, anything looks possible for Houston. According to American Soccer Analysis’ goals added metric, the veteran was the fifth-most valuable player in MLS last year.
Sporting Kansas City
Reason to hope: The injury bug can’t bite that hard again
Thanks to a huge bite from the injury bug last year, SKC were winless in their first 10 games of 2023. DP striker Alan Pulido, star winger Johnny Russell, and DP midfielder Gadi Kinda never started together during that stretch due to various injury issues. After finally getting healthy, though, they picked up more points per game than all but four teams from 1 May until the end of the regular season. SKC will be healthier and better this year.
LA Galaxy
Reason to hope: Riqui Puig is getting some help
In Riqui Puig, the LA Galaxy have one of the top players in MLS. The 24-year-old former Barcelona midfielder has been among the best creators in the league since he arrived in 2022. After a poor 2023 where LA missed the playoffs, new general manager Will Kuntz seems intent on supporting Puig. The Galaxy are reportedly close to signing 22-year-old Vasco da Gama winger Gabriel Pec, who looks like the real deal.
LAFC star Denis Bouanga was linked with an offseason move away. Photograph: Joe Nicholson/USA Today Sports
Los Angeles FC
Reason to hope: Few teams have more talent
Assuming Denis Bouanga stays in Los Angeles after what may be an attempt to squeeze a more lucrative contract out of LAFC, few teams in MLS have more talent than Steve Cherundolo’s team. With multiple open DP spots, a good hit rate on their recent signings, and a very strong group of returning players from their MLS Cup run in 2023, there’s every reason to expect LAFC to compete for trophies this year.
Inter Miami
Reason to hope: No team has more talent
Inter Miami are stacked with talent. By adding Luis Suárez up top and Julian Gressel on the right side, they gave themselves another pair of attacking weapons to bash the rest of the league with. Sure, teams will grab a few goals against Miami this year. But Messi and co. will grab even more of their own.
Minnesota United
Reason to hope: Your attacking group is sneaky good
Even with uncertainty surrounding Emanuel Reynoso (who really, really doesn’t seem to like preseason), there are reasons to get excited about the Loons’ attacking group. Teemu Pukki’s mixture of scoring and chance creation brought life back to the top of Minnesota United’s 4-2-3-1 shape last year. On the wing, Bongokuhle Hlongwane finished in the 98th percentile in non-penalty xG per 90 minutes among his positional peers last year. Minnesota have the pieces to make life difficult for opposing defenses.
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CF Montréal
Reason to hope: There’s a new coach in town
… and he plays like the last good coach you had.
CF Montréal have finished seventh or lower in the Eastern Conference in six of the last seven years. The odd year out was Montréal’s second-place finish in 2022 with Wilfried Nancy, who just won MLS Cup as the Columbus Crew’s manager, leading the way. Laurent Courtois, Montréal’s new coach, prefers to play like Nancy and comes from the Crew’s system. That sounds like a good sign to me.
Nashville SC
Reason to hope: Sam Surridge can help Hany Mukhtar
For years, Nashville SC fans cried out for a No 9 who could take some of the attacking burden off star Hany Mukhtar. During their run to the Leagues Cup final last year, former Nottingham Forest striker Sam Surridge looked like the answer. The 25-year-old scored in each of his first three games for Nashville. Surridge cooled off later in the year, but proved that he can help Mukhtar.
New England Revolution
Reason to hope: There’s a new goalkeeper in town
The New England Revolution have become MLS’s goalkeeping factory. With two former Revs goalkeepers now in the Premier League – Matt Turner and Đorđe Petrović – there are plenty of reasons to be optimistic about new No 1 Henrich Ravas. Signed from the Polish top flight, Ravas should be set up to succeed in 2024.
New York Red Bulls
Reason to hope: Emil Forsberg fills a huge need
Not only does Emil Forsberg represent the first meaningful move from the Leipzig branch to the New York branch of Red Bull global, but he also fills a big need for RBNY in 2024. New York operated without any sort of an effective chance creator last year – the Swedish international will pick up that slack.
New York City FC
Reason to hope: A full season with a true No. 9 is incoming
For whatever reason, New York City FC waited until July (after they’d played 23 regular season games!) to sign a striker. When they finally completed a deal for Monsef Bakrar, the young Algerian showed real promise. With quality talent around him, Bakrar finished in the 96th percentile last year in non-penalty xG per 90 among his positional peers in MLS. A full season with a top striker leading the line will do wonders for NYCFC.
Orlando City re-signed key forward Facundo Torres this offseason. Photograph: Roy K Miller/ISI Photos/Getty Images
Orlando City
Reason to hope: Key pieces remain
After finishing second in the Eastern Conference in 2023, Orlando City aren’t rushing to make big changes to their squad. The club re-signed 23-year-old attacking midfielder Facundo Torres and should start this year with a very familiar group of players. Why not run it back?
Philadelphia Union
Reason to hope: Finishing near the top of the East is the norm
The Philadelphia Union have built a reputation as one of the clubs to beat in the Eastern Conference. With a strong returning spine and the decision to re-sign Kai Wagner, expectations should remain high for a club that’s finished third or higher in the East in each of the last five seasons.
Portland Timbers
Reason to hope: The squad is only getting stronger
The Timbers have opened two DP spots this offseason, giving themselves real top-end roster flexibility ahead of the new season. Factoring in their two key additions in the back – center back Kamal Miller, who was acquired in a trade from Inter Miami, and goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau, who is reportedly joining via free agency – Portland are better now than when 2023 ended.
Real Salt Lake
Reason to hope: Transfer records are made to be broken
2023 saw Real Salt Lake break their incoming transfer record on two separate occasions. First, RSL paid a record fee to sign young Colombian winger Andrés Gómez. Then, they splashed the cash to add striker Chicho Arango. With two open DP spots, the club may be gearing up to break their incoming transfer record once more.
San Jose Earthquakes
Reason to hope: Daniel is elite
The best goalkeeper in MLS plays in San Jose. Daniel shined during his first season with the Earthquakes and was the top shot-stopper in MLS last year. The 29-year-old Brazilian saved over a third of a goal more than expected per 90 minutes, according to FBref. Opposing attackers beware.
Seattle Sounders
Reason to hope: Continuity makes transition easy
With club legend Nicolás Lodeiro off to Orlando and Raúl Ruidíaz on what appears to be a sharp decline, 2024 will be something of a transition season for the Seattle Sounders. The good news for Seattle, though, is that continuity makes transition easy. 12 of the Sounders’ Top 14 players, in terms of minutes, are back this year with international reinforcements on the way.
St. Louis City
Reason to hope: If that was Act 1, Act 2 should be special
In what was one of the greatest expansion seasons in MLS history, St. Louis topped the Western Conference last year. Bradley Carnell’s team took the league by storm with a high-pressing style executed by a group of players with a point to prove. If St. Louis found so much success in their debut campaign, what’s stopping them from getting even stronger ahead of 2024?
Toronto FC
Reason to hope: Ambition isn’t the problem
Say what you will about Toronto FC’s current roster (fine, I’ll say it: it’s really bad), but one thing you can’t say about Toronto FC is that they’re afraid of taking risks. The club is consistently among the league’s biggest spenders. Toronto’s genuine ambition to be a top club in MLS should give fans hope for a quick improvement after last year’s Wooden Spoon.
Vancouver Whitecaps
Reason to hope: There are no obvious holes
Outside one little spot on the right side of their backline, there aren’t any gaps in the Vancouver Whitecaps’ squad. Brian White is one of the league’s most underrated No 9s and Ryan Gauld is among the most dangerous attackers in MLS. When you look at the midfield and backline, the Caps are solid there, too. Vancouver have every reason to expect to finish near the top of the West.