St. Louis CITY SC have been a good team all year, but finishing has been a problem. Now, they’ve signed one of the best attackers in MLS, bringing in Brazilian frontman Rafael Navarro from the Colorado Rapids for $12 million, breaking the record for the most expensive cash-for-player intra-league transfer in MLS history. 

With 38 goals and 15 assists in 97 MLS appearances with the Rapids, there’s no doubt that Navarro will score goals with a St. Louis CITY side that has shown an elevated level this season. At the same time, he cushions the losses of Eduard Löwen and Marcel Hartel, and can create goals out of half-chances. 

When compared to some of the other attacking prices paid this summer, $12 million for an MLS-proven striker is quite tidy business. He has the potential to push St. Louis into fringe MLS Cup contention this year, and further into his deal running through 2029–30.

It had been years of “big fish” hunting for the Chicago Fire. They tried to sign Kevin De Bruyne and Neymar Jr., but finally secured their superstar by inking Robert Lewandowski to a deal through 2027–28. 

While the addition of the Polish attacker led to the exit of MLS Golden Boot leader Hugo Cuypers, it’s an upgrade to the club’s relevance in MLS, as well as in the local and global marketplace. Plus, replacing him with Lewandowski hasn’t negatively impacted the team’s form. 

What it has done, though, is shift the focus to winning immediately. With Cuypers, there could be several years of progression and roster building, whereas Lewandowski at 38 years old means building a roster to contend for the MLS Cup right now. So far, that path has led to Philip Zinckernagel inking a new contract, and a loan for now ex-Inter Miami standout defender, Noah Allen. 

Lewandowski is still a pristine goalscorer and has transitioned to MLS with four goals in his first seven games. Now, the chase to the MLS Cup playoffs becomes the focus—and few players know more about winning and performing in big moments than he does.

The Columbus Crew needed a boost. In a massive summer transfer window that saw them bring in MLS legend Josef Martínez, Spanish midfielder Brais Méndez and former Manchester United center back Eric Bailly, it’s Santiago Rodríguez that may stand out as the most significant addition. 

Coming in from Botafogo, the Uruguayan has ample MLS experience, previously recording 24 goals and 32 assists in 116 games with New York City FC across four seasons. Many of those goals came on the smaller pitch of Yankee Stadium, giving him more space to make attacking runs, but a chance to link up with Méndez could loft Columbus back into Eastern Conference relevancy. At the same time, he’s already obtained a U.S. Green Card, making him a domestic player in the team’s roster construction. 

It’s a long road ahead for the Columbus Crew, who sit in the doldrums of the Eastern Conference, but locking in Rodríguez, still just 26 years old, through 2029–30 should pave the way for a better next era. 

When Wilfried Zaha parted ways with Charlotte FC at the start of the summer, there was concern around the team’s future on the wing. Then, they added veteran winger Allan Saint-Maximin with a level of doubt, but the early returns have been impressive. 

The former Newcastle United attacker has played two games, posted two assists and ranks among the best in MLS in several attacking categories. He’s in the 100th percentile in successful dribbles per 90 minutes with 4.78, a massive upgrade on Zaha’s tenure, which saw him average 1.70 per 90. At the same time, he ranks above the 95th percentile among MLS wingers in successful crosses per 90 and chances created per 90. 

Having adjusted to North American soccer by scoring three goals in 16 appearances with Club América, then returning to Europe for a brief spell with Lens, MLS seems like the perfect fit for Saint-Maximin. He could be the piece Charlotte has needed to elevate the rest of their roster. 

Real Salt Lake needed some help at the back after the wingback loss of Zavier Gozo’s sale to the Premier League and the shift to a three-man and five-man backline, given the injury to star veteran defender Justen Glad. 

In a shrewd move, they were able to land Luc De Fougerolles, who comes in on loan from Premier League side Fulham for the rest of the season, with an option to extend for the 14-game 2027 MLS sprint season. Instantly, it gives the Claret and Cobalt a starting center back option, likely to take over in the middle of the back three for Juan Jose Arias.

Despite his tender age of 20, De Fougerolles played last season on loan from Fulham with FCV Dender E.H. in the Belgian first division, and thrived as one of their key players despite a relegation-bound effort. At the World Cup, he played each one of Canada’s games and stood out as the top non-Spanish defender in the “FIFA Power Rankings” metric. With 18 international caps, he’s got a chance to become an elite defender in MLS, and it’s a massive coup for RSL to lock him down, when each of three Canadian clubs were likely interested.  

Antoine Griezmann signed a pre-contract in the spring to join Orlando City after the European season wrapped up, and finally made his move this summer. With four goals and three assists in his first seven games, and the vibes lifted around Orlando City, it seems as though it’s already been a massive success. 

His penchant for finding the back of the net has headlined his addition to the group. Still, Griezmann has also proven to be a key piece in elevating U.S. youth international Justin Ellis in attack, touting the 19-year-old striker as a talent who could one day make an impact in Europe. 

At the same time, Griezmann has shown a level of commitment to the team far greater than many of its past Designated Players. He arrived early to gain fitness and adjust to his new teammates before MLS resumed after the World Cup. He’s offered mentorship to younger players around him, all while embracing the fans and providing regular media appearances. 

There are still plenty of flaws with Orlando City’s setup under interim manager Martín Perelman, but Griezmann has been a breath of fresh air after the dismissal of Óscar Pareja and could be the piece to usher in a new era for the Lions.

The best move of the window, and best value by far, has to be Dejan Joveljić’s move to the Seattle Sounders from Sporting Kansas City on a respectable $6 million transfer fee. For the Sounders, it brought a key goalscorer into a struggling team and marked their first midseason signing on a fee in four years.

While some teams prefer making moves for overseas talent for their big-money spends, the Sounders knew that Joveljić was a proven commodity in MLS and the Western Conference. He is also a tactically intelligent player who could make his own opportunities despite lackluster creation due to a heavily injured roster. 

Two goals on his debut were a near-dream for Joveljić, and both showcased his adept play-reading and positional awareness, putting him in strong scoring positions unlike other Sounders strikers in recent seasons. Instantly, Joveljić’s transfer seemed a win for the Sounders, but it only looks better given some of the fees flying around across MLS, primarily the $12 million that St. Louis CITY spent on Navarro.

The question now is whether the Serbian could potentially loft the Sounders into the MLS Cup playoffs as soon as this fall.