{"id":1080,"date":"2026-01-23T05:29:17","date_gmt":"2026-01-23T10:29:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/us\/?post_type=features&#038;p=1080"},"modified":"2026-01-23T05:29:17","modified_gmt":"2026-01-23T10:29:17","slug":"mls-most-expensive-transfers-hit-or-miss","status":"publish","type":"features","link":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/us\/features\/mls-most-expensive-transfers-hit-or-miss\/","title":{"rendered":"Hit or miss? The five most expensive transfers in MLS history"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Despite a salary cap and the most intricate spending rules you&#8217;re likely to find, the money being spent in Major League Soccer only continues to increase.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It seems like every year, the league&#8217;s record transfer fee is being broken, with Son Heung-min the most recent to top the list following his $26million summer arrival from Tottenham Hotspur. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Of course, dollars spent don&#8217;t always equal success on the field. Some big transfers have gone on to tank, even while others have set the league alight. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So, hit or miss? Let&#8217;s take a look at Son and the other top five most expensive transfers in MLS history. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">5. Gonzalo &#8216;Pity&#8217; Martinez<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Club: <\/strong>Atlanta United (from River Plate)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Year: <\/strong>2019<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Fee: <\/strong>$14m<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Gonzalo &#8216;Pity&#8217; Martinez arrived at Atlanta United under considerable pressure in January 2019, joining a side fresh from an MLS Cup win in just their second season in the league to replace their outgoing star, Miguel Almiron. All for a then-league-record $14m fee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Martinez has just notched 12 goals and eight assists in 35 appearances across all competitions for River Plate during the 2018 campaign, winning the Copa Libertadores with a final victory against arch-rivals Boca Juniors, in which the attacking midfielder scored a clinching goal deep into extra-time. Pity then started 2019 with another four goals and an assist in nine games. And all of that is without mentioning the fact that he was a two-time Argentina international. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">All of that was a ridiculous amount of weight for Martinez to carry, and ultimately, he just couldn&#8217;t live up to the massive expectations placed upon him. He did manage 11 goals and 14 assists in 54 appearances across all competitions, but very much performed in patches before ATL sold him to Al-Nassr in the summer of 2020 &#8212; actually making a small profit. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Verdict: <\/strong>Miss<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">4. Thiago Almada<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/sites\/13\/2026\/01\/21144113\/ThiagoAlmada_21-01-26_ID2WXK31K-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1088\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/sites\/13\/2026\/01\/21144113\/ThiagoAlmada_21-01-26_ID2WXK31K-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/sites\/13\/2026\/01\/21144113\/ThiagoAlmada_21-01-26_ID2WXK31K-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/sites\/13\/2026\/01\/21144113\/ThiagoAlmada_21-01-26_ID2WXK31K-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/sites\/13\/2026\/01\/21144113\/ThiagoAlmada_21-01-26_ID2WXK31K-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/sites\/13\/2026\/01\/21144113\/ThiagoAlmada_21-01-26_ID2WXK31K-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/sites\/13\/2026\/01\/21144113\/ThiagoAlmada_21-01-26_ID2WXK31K-400x267.jpg 400w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/sites\/13\/2026\/01\/21144113\/ThiagoAlmada_21-01-26_ID2WXK31K-90x60.jpg 90w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/sites\/13\/2026\/01\/21144113\/ThiagoAlmada_21-01-26_ID2WXK31K-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/sites\/13\/2026\/01\/21144113\/ThiagoAlmada_21-01-26_ID2WXK31K-40x27.jpg 40w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Club: <\/strong>Atlanta United (from Velez Sarsfield)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Year: <\/strong>2022<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Fee: <\/strong>$16m<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">An Argentine attacking midfielder signing for a league-record fee. It was a familiar story for Atlanta United fans when the club landed Thiago Almada from Velez Sarsfield in 2022. But unlike Pity, Almada arrived as a huge talent still developing, rather than a player supposedly in his prime. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Despite joining the Five Stripes in a period of immense underperformance, battling on the fringes of the MLS Cup Playoffs race, Almada was sensational during his time at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The Ciudadela-born midfielder hit 26 goals and 24 assists in 83 appearances as an ATLUTD player, helping the club return to the Playoffs in his second full season at the club.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So good was Almada in Georgia that he earned a place in Argentina&#8217;s 2022 World Cup squad. He came off the bench in their 2-0 win over Poland at the end of the group stage and became the first-ever active MLS player to win the World Cup.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Almada left Atlanta for Botafogo in the summer of 2024, and after a loan spell at Lyon, now plays for Atletico Madrid &#8212; while accruing 12 caps for Argentina so far.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Verdict: <\/strong>Hit<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3. Kevin Denkey<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Club: <\/strong>FC Cincinnati (from Cercle Brugge)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Year: <\/strong>2024<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Fee: <\/strong>$16.2m<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Kevin Denkey was on the radar of many European clubs after notching 43 goals in 67 appearances for Belgian side Cercle Brugge during the 2023\/24 and 2024\/25 seasons combined.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But in the end, it was FC Cincinnati who landed his signature that summer, at the cost of $16.2m. The Togo international was a huge success in his first season at TQL Stadium, bagging 18 goals in 37 appearances to help the Orange and Blue finish second in the Eastern Conference and overall, while reaching the Eastern Conference semifinals in the MLS Cup Playoffs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In truth, fans will likely want a few more goals from Denkey in 2026, but he&#8217;s already scoring at an impressive clip and offers much more to Pat Noonan&#8217;s side in buildup. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Verdict: <\/strong>Hit<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. Emmanuel Latte Lath<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/sites\/13\/2026\/01\/21144058\/EmmanuelLatteLath_21-01-26_ID3C62HKC-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1087\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/sites\/13\/2026\/01\/21144058\/EmmanuelLatteLath_21-01-26_ID3C62HKC-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/sites\/13\/2026\/01\/21144058\/EmmanuelLatteLath_21-01-26_ID3C62HKC-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/sites\/13\/2026\/01\/21144058\/EmmanuelLatteLath_21-01-26_ID3C62HKC-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/sites\/13\/2026\/01\/21144058\/EmmanuelLatteLath_21-01-26_ID3C62HKC-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/sites\/13\/2026\/01\/21144058\/EmmanuelLatteLath_21-01-26_ID3C62HKC-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/sites\/13\/2026\/01\/21144058\/EmmanuelLatteLath_21-01-26_ID3C62HKC-400x267.jpg 400w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/sites\/13\/2026\/01\/21144058\/EmmanuelLatteLath_21-01-26_ID3C62HKC-90x60.jpg 90w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/sites\/13\/2026\/01\/21144058\/EmmanuelLatteLath_21-01-26_ID3C62HKC-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/sites\/13\/2026\/01\/21144058\/EmmanuelLatteLath_21-01-26_ID3C62HKC-40x27.jpg 40w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Club: <\/strong>Atlanta United (from Middlesbrough)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Year: <\/strong>2025<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Fee: <\/strong>$22m<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The 2025 winter window was supposed to be transformative for Atlanta United. Miguel Almiron was back, and paired with a big-money striker in Emmanuel Latte Lath.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Latte Lath arrived from Middlesbrough, having bagged 29 goals in 67 appearances in 18 months at the Riverside Stadium. Expectations were high.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But so far, the Ivorian has failed to hit the mark, scoring just eight goals in 32 games across all competitions. Seven of those came in MLS, five of which came in his first six appearances in what was an extremely promising start. But then came a run of just two goals in his next 24 to close out the season, meaning a monumental improvement is needed in 2026 to save his legacy with the Five Stripes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Verdict: <\/strong>Miss<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. Son Heung-min<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Club: <\/strong>LAFC (from Tottenham Hotspur)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Year: <\/strong>2025<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Fee: <\/strong>$26m<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While he wasn&#8217;t the all-conquering, devastating force he was at his peak, Son Heung-min was still a regular contributor for Tottenham Hotspur when he departed the club for LAFC in the summer. That&#8217;s exactly why the Black and Gold paid such a substantial fee for his services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The South Korean icon has been a complete success during his short time in MLS so far. Son has 12 goals and four assists to his name in just 13 appearances, helping LAFC surge to third in the Western Conference and the Western Conference semifinals. Even more impressive, Son has genuinely come close to matching the star power and hype generated by Lionel Messi at Inter Miami.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Obviously, Son will have to maintain this insane early level of performance for him to be a true hit at BMO Stadium. But there&#8217;s no reason to believe that won&#8217;t happen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Verdict: <\/strong>Hit (so far)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Despite a salary cap and the most intricate spending rules you&#8217;re likely to find, the money being spent in Major League Soccer only continues to increase. It seems like every year, the league&#8217;s record transfer fee is being broken, with Son Heung-min the most recent to top the list following his $26million summer arrival from&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":56,"featured_media":1082,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_focuskw":"","_yoast_wpseo_title":"%%title%%","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"How successful were the five most expensive transfers in Major League Soccer history? From Son Heung-min to Thiago Almada.","footnotes":""},"tags":[],"features-category":[],"squawka-category":[],"class_list":["post-1080","features","type-features","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":{"external_featured_image_url":"","hide_featured_image_pattern":false},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v28.0 (Yoast SEO v28.0) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Hit or miss? The five most expensive transfers in MLS history<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"How successful were the five most expensive transfers in Major League Soccer history? From Son Heung-min to Thiago Almada.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/us\/features\/mls-most-expensive-transfers-hit-or-miss\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Hit or miss? The five most expensive transfers in MLS history\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"How successful were the five most expensive transfers in Major League Soccer history? From Son Heung-min to Thiago Almada.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/us\/features\/mls-most-expensive-transfers-hit-or-miss\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Squawka | US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/SquawkaFootballNews\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/sites\/13\/2026\/01\/21132224\/Son-Heung-min_ID3D72TC3_ThiagoAlmada_ID2R6YXD4_21-01-26-scaled.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2560\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1440\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@Squawka\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.squawka.com\\\/us\\\/features\\\/mls-most-expensive-transfers-hit-or-miss\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.squawka.com\\\/us\\\/features\\\/mls-most-expensive-transfers-hit-or-miss\\\/\",\"name\":\"Hit or miss? 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