Your Thursday Kickoff: Big moves needed in MLS Secondary Transfer Window
LAFC send Opoku to CF Montréal in blockbuster trade
LAFC completed a head-turning move Wednesday, announcing they have traded Kwadwo “Mahala” Opoku to CF Montréal in exchange for one of the league’s largest-ever General Allocation Money (GAM) hauls. The defending MLS Cup and Supporters’ Shield champions have received $1.75 million GAM in exchange for the versatile Ghanaian forward. The funds break down as $1.65 million in 2023 GAM and $100k in 2024 GAM. Opoku, 21, is coming off a breakout season for LAFC in 2022, tallying 7g/3a in nearly 1,800 minutes (34 appearances) and placing ninth on the 22 Under 22 presented by BODYARMOR list. This year, Opoku has 2g/2a in nearly 1,200 minutes (19 appearances) and helped LAFC reach the Concacaf Champions League final. He consistently progressed with the Black & Gold after joining in October 2020 from the Attram De Visser Soccer Academy in Ghana.
Colorado Rapids acquire defender Gutman from Atlanta United
The Colorado Rapids have bolstered their backline as the Secondary Transfer Window gets underway, announcing Wednesday they’ve acquired left back Andrew Gutman from Atlanta United. In return for Gutman, Atlanta receive a guaranteed $400,000 in General Allocation Money (GAM) split across this season and next season, as well as a 2023 international roster slot. They could get an additional $150,000 in conditional GAM if Gutman reaches certain performance metrics.
Philadelphia Union loan defender Craig to Austin FC
Austin FC have acquired US youth international defender Brandan Craig on loan from the Philadelphia Union. Craig, a homegrown player in Philadelphia, joins Austin through the end of the 2023 MLS season. In exchange, the Union receive Austin’s natural third-round pick in the 2024 MLS SuperDraft and may also receive up to $125,000 in 2024 General Allocation Money (GAM) depending on performance-based incentives.
Atlanta United sign French midfielder Tristan Muyumba
Atlanta United have acquired defensive midfielder Tristan Muyumba from Ligue 2 side EA Guingamp and signed him through the 2027 MLS season using Targeted Allocation Money (TAM). The 26-year-old joins Atlanta with a wealth of experience in France’s second division, having tallied four goals and five assists in 72 games for EA Guingamp. The former French youth international initially turned pro at Ligue 1's AS Monaco.
Charlotte and NYCFC play to draw
1-1 final at Citi Field last night. That’s all you really need to know.
The Secondary Transfer Window is officially open, and we’re already seeing moves and rumors of moves and the completion of moves that we’ve known about for weeks now. The entire league may look very, very different by the time we reach the end of the window on Aug. 2. You never know for sure what might happen in the time frame, but here are a few potential signings that, if they happen, may shape the league down the home stretch.
Hey, just a reminder here. I know they’re struggling right now, but a fresh-legged new DP signing could change a whole lot quickly. LAFC should, in theory, be sharper once they get through this pre-Leagues Cup stretch of one game every 12 hours or whatever they’re doing at the moment. But what if they’re able to add a DP No. 9? A DP midfielder? It kind of feels like you never truly know what direction they’ll go with these kinds of signings. But you have to feel like a major move is on the way.
They may be losing José Cifuentes at some point soon here, too. That would open a U22 spot as well. There are a few directions this could go but they all seem to end with an ultra-talented team maximizing their already considerable resources. Don’t be surprised if the CCL hangover wears off, new talent comes in, and LAFC are right back at the top of the West by the end of the year.
And, oh, hey, would you look at that? They snuck in a trade yesterday, too. Mahala Opoku is on his way to CF Montréal in exchange for 1.75 million in GAM. I love Mahala as much as anyone but that’s a huge return. Go ahead and pencil in LAFC for a DP and another TAM player as well.
We’ve been talking about it for so long that it’s almost hard to believe we didn’t wake up to a signing announcement yesterday morning. Everyone knows what Nashville want and what Nashville need. It’s just a waiting game at this point for their brand new No. 9 to come in and, potentially, take this team to its final form.
It has been awfully quiet, though. I’m not worried yet, but it is kind of surprising it’s taking a second. Maybe we can take that as an encouraging sign that they’re making sure they get the signing right. Based on Gary Smith’s tendencies, it seems like the profile is simply “tall guy we can kick the ball at” but sometimes I guess things are more nuanced than that.
Anyway, if they get it right, they may just have enough juice to challenge FC Cincinnati for the Supporters' Shield when all is said and done. They should at least be better positioned to make a deep Audi MLS Cup Playoff run than ever before.
Speaking of teams that could use a No. 9, NYCFC seem kind of desperate right now. It’s been a miserable year in The Bronx. Everything has felt disjointed in attack, and a talented collection of pieces hasn’t gelled. It’s possible they could use an open U22 spot on a striker that should make that process a little easier. Then again, it really felt like they were going to do exactly that before the close of the last transfer window, and it never happened.
I doubt we see the same thing go down this window though. The Pigeons clearly need someone to finish chances and create some havoc in the box. Unfortunately, U22s aren’t quite the sure bet that DPs are. And even DPs are far from a sure thing. It’s hard to get a U22 player right because you automatically have less data on the player you’re signing. The fact that NYCFC feel like they’re leaning on that spot to save their season is far from ideal.
Are Houston shipping out Sebastián Ferreira? Will FC Cincinnati lose Brandon Vazquez? Can FC Dallas bring in a DP attacker that takes them from a totally ok MLS team to actual contenders? None of those things feel like a given but could be critical down the line.
Houston and Dallas aren’t far away from being home playoff teams in the watered-down West. FC Cincinnati seem intent on hanging on to Vazquez, but things feel a little messy right now. If any of these dominos get put into motion, things could get very interesting.
Atlanta seem like the odds-on favorite to be the busiest team in the league this window. They already sent out fan-favorite fullback Andrew Gutman to Colorado yesterday. If he can be shipped out, it seems that no one is untouchable on this roster. Garth Lagerwey is still working on renovating the entire roster, and Atlanta will be actively looking to move folks along while bringing in a new DP and possibly a few other signings to go along with him. Plus, they just signed Ligue 2 midfielder Tristan Muyumba. There’s still so much more to go though.
They won’t be done after this window, either. The Five Stripes have a handful of contracts coming off the books at the end of the season. It feels likely this current window is the second of three big windows in Lagerwey’s revamp process. If they get it right, though, the Five Stripes could have a long-term core to build around and develop into the Sounders South team they’ve been hoping to be.
*Update: Yup.
One more Texas note. It’s a big month for Texas.
Austin clearly need a center back and they should have the room to do it. If they can bring one in and get the signing right, they can continue to build on a good run of form and maybe even climb their way up the Western Conference standings again.
UPDATE: Never write your newsletter before the end of the day, kids. Austin have acquired center back Brandan Craig from Philadelphia. We’ll see if they stop there or add another more experienced player. I’m not sure Craig is the game-changing piece we were talking about yet. But he is in fact a new center back for a team that could still have a decent season when all is said and done. It’s been a weird year, but they still have quality pieces. The Verde & Black are just four points out of a top-four spot in the West and aren’t far away at all from salvaging this year in the final third of the season.
Good luck out there. Give the people what they want and expect.
