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The 10 Most Expensive Player Signings by MLS Clubs

Major League Soccer is approaching its 30th season, and the United States' top league is still growing its influence in its home country and across the globe.

That means teams seem to spend more and more money on players each year.

While we have already looked at the most expensive player sales in league history, it's time to look at the flip side of that equation and check out who the most expensive arrivals in MLS history are.

Here, with all transfer fees courtesy of transfermarkt.us, are the 10 most expensive player signings by MLS teams.

Honorable Mentions

  • Juan 'Cucho' Hernandez, $10 million, Watford FC to Columbus Crew
  • Brandon Vazquez, $10.1 million, Monterrey to Austin FC
  • Brian Rodriguez, $11.2 million, Almeria to Los Angeles FC
  • Rodolfo Pizarro, $11.3 million, Monterrey to Inter Miami
  • Hugo Cuypers, $11.4 million, Gent to Chicago Fire FC

10. Luiz Araujo, $12 million

LOSC Lille to Atlanta United

Before Atlanta United brought Luiz Araujo to MLS, an American team had never signed a player approaching his prime years from a team that had just won its league championship.

Araujo had four goals and two assists for Lille in its French Ligue 1-winning campaign in 2020/21, which caused Atlanta to pay big money for the then-24-year-old.

But Araujo contributed 11 goals and nine assists in his 59 matches, which did not match the production expected based on the eight-figure fee paid for his services. He left Atlanta halfway through the 2023 season, joining Botafogo and moving back to his native Brazil.

9. Brenner, $12.3 million

Sao Paulo to FC Cincinnati

Brazilian striker Brenner joined FC Cincinnati at age 21 from Sao Paulo FC in his home nation of Brazil, and his two full seasons in MLS were good enough to earn him a move to Udinese in Italy.

He began his MLS spell with eight goals and one assist in 33 appearances in 2021. In his second season, he exploded for 18 goals with six assists to lead Cincinnati to the 2023 Supporters' Shield while earning himself that move to Italy.

T-6. Myrto Uzuni, $12.5 million

Granada to Austin FC

The most recent signing on this list for now, Myrto Uzuni was signed by Austin FC from La Liga 2 side Granada ahead of the 2025 MLS campaign.

Joining up with fellow new addition Brandon Vazquez with Los Verdes, Uzuni will be one of the men responsible for leading the club into a new era after Sebastian Driussi's departure.

Uzuni has three straight seasons with 10+ goals under his belt. He scored 22 in the 2022/23 La Liga 2 campaign as his team finished first to earn promotion, scored 11 in La Liga as his team was relegated, and scored 14 goals in 18 La Liga 2 matches in 2024/25.

T-6. Hirving 'Chucky' Lozano, $12.5 million

PSV Eindhoven to San Diego FC

One of the two most recent signings on this list, longtime Mexico international Hirving 'Chucky' Lozano signed for San Diego FC from PSV Eindhoven in order to be the Southern California club's first star player.

Lozano will be 29 years old on opening day, and while that indicates he should still be capable of playing at a high level, the reality is he hasn't reached double-digit goal contributions since 2020/21.

He has five seasons with 10+ league goals in his career, and his club - the latest MLS expansion franchise - will be hopeful he can reach those standards in the States.

T-6. Aleksei Miranchuk, $12.5 million

Atalanta BC to Atlanta United

Half of this list is made up of Atlanta United attacking midfielders, and 2024 summer signing Aleksei Miranchuk is one of those players.

He joined the club after Atlanta sold Designated Players Thiago Almada (more on him later) and Giorgios Giakoumakis midseason.

Miranchuk scored three goals and provided one assist in 748 regular season minutes over nine matches, and in the MLS Cup Playoffs, he helped Atlanta to a first-round upset of Lionel Messi and Inter Miami. The 29-year-old is likely to be at the center of Atlanta's plans for at least the next few seasons.

5. Ezequiel Barco, $12.8 million

Independiente to Atlanta United

Argentinian attacking midfielder Ezequiel Barco was a teenager when he joined Atlanta United, but he already had a season with four goals and four assists under his belt from his time in his home country.

Barco helped Atlanta lift MLS Cup in his debut season, but he was the fourth or fifth option in attack behind Josef Martinez, Miguel Almiron, Hector Villalba and perhaps Julian Gressel.

It took the young playmaker about three seasons to get the hang of MLS and step into a crucial role, but once he did, he went off for seven goals and six assists in 2021. He then decided to move back to Argentina to join one of the nation's two biggest clubs, River Plate.

T-3. Gonzalo 'Pity' Martinez, $15.1 million

River Plate to Atlanta United

The second-to-last Atlanta United attacking midfielder on this list is Gonzalo 'Pity' Martinez, who joined just after the team's early success when it won MLS Cup in its second season of existence.

Martinez only spent one full season in MLS, scoring five goals and providing seven assists in 32 appearances. He was supposed to combine with the aforementioned Barco to replace the production of Miguel Almiron, who had left for English club Newcastle United.

But Pity didn't stay for much longer, leaving after seven appearances in his second MLS season to join Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia.

T-3. Thiago Almada, $15.1 million

Velez Sarsfield to Atlanta United

Well, you can't knock Atlanta United and owner Arthur Blank for spending money to bring in exciting players. Almada is the final ATL playmaker on this list, and he had arguably the best tenure of any of the former Atlanta players on this list, although the jury is still out on the still-new Miranchuk.

Almada joined from Velez Sarsfield in 2022 at age 20 and immediately started to produce, as he scored six goals and provided seven assists in 29 matches in his first MLS season.

His second MLS season was his best and possibly one of the best individual campaigns ever, as he scored 11 goals with 16 assists in 2023. He had six goals and an assist in 2024 before accepting a move to Botafogo in Brazil, where he won the league title the season he joined the club.

2. Kevin Denkey, $15.9 million

Cercle Brugge to FC Cincinnati

The second of two players on this list who joined ahead of the 2025 season and thus has not played a minute in MLS is new FC Cincinnati signing Kevin Denkey. The Togo-born forward signed for the Ohio club off the back of scoring 10 goals in 17 Belgian league games this season for Cercle Brugge.

In 2023/24, Denkey was even better with 23 league goals in 28 appearances. It was his first professional season with double-digit goals.

Cincy will want to see Denkey form a strong partnership with 2023 MLS MVP Luciano Acosta. The Southern Ohio-based club did not immediately sign an adequate replacement for Brandon Vazquez, who joined Mexican side Monterrey after the 2023 season, so about a year later they decided to make this $15.9 million wager on a forward with a solid track record.

1. Emmanuel Latte Lath, $22 million

Middlesborough to Atlanta United

After signing the rapid 26-year-old striker Emmanuel Latte Lath from English Championship club Middlesborough, Atlanta United now has fully half of the 10 most expensive transfers of all time.

Lath will team with Aleksei Miranchuk, Mateusz Klich, and newly re-signed club legend Miguel Almiron in the Atlanta attack.

The Ivory Coast international has three straight seasons with double-digit goals entering the 2025 MLS campaign. He has 27 English Championship goals from 22.2 xG in 59 games (43 starts) between the 2023/24 and 2024/25 seasons, and before he joined Boro, he scored 14 goals for St. Gallen in Switzerland.

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