The European Championships and the Copa America are over, but Major League Soccer is just getting started. The league played clear through both tournaments and is approaching its traditional midseason All-Star break.
MLS has one of the longest seasons in American sport; it began way back in February and will continue until the middle of December.
This All-Star break represents the halfway point of the season, and it offers a perfect opportunity to check in on the league's biggest winners and losers:
FC Cincinnati. After winning last season's Supporters Shield FC Cincinnati has gone from strength to strength: it's invested in its key attackers and hired some brilliant midfielders and defenders to keep the good times rolling.
Led by Argentine spitfire Lucho Acosta, the league leader in assists and key passes, Cincy is the most in-form team in MLS and looks primed to challenge Messi's Inter Miami for the top playoff seed.
An extra special birthday for the Captain.
— FC Cincinnati (@fccincinnati) May 31, 2024
With three goals and five assists, Lucho Acosta is @MLS Player of the Month.
St. Louis City SC. St. Louis managed the impossible last year: it won the MLS Western Conference in its debut season as an MLS club. Fans hoping for a repeat in 2024 have been let down, though, as St. Louis struggles with the reality of competing in a league as deep and physical as this one.
The attackers haven't been firing, the defenders haven't been blocking and the on-field tactics have been odd at best any mystifying at worst. To make matters worse, Marco Reus — the German superstar St. Louis has discovery rights for — appears to be shunning the Midwest to join the Los Angeles Galaxy instead.
EXCL: LA Galaxy are closing in on deal to sign Marco Reus as free agent!
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) July 17, 2024
Final details being sorted, still some work to do with player and his camp but LA Galaxy now close to getting it done.
Reus, ready to move to MLS
Here we go, expected soon. pic.twitter.com/A9SUjmNe3j
Colorado Rapids. The Rapids were so terrible in 2023 that their own fans staged a walkout protesting the team's ownership and demanding better for the club. Looks like that protest worked: the Rapids are a completely new team in 2024 and they're looking likely to pick up a playoff spot for the first time in three years.
Canadian defender Moise Bombito has been excellent (and is coming back from a strong Copa America showing) and American youngster Djordje Mihailovic is impressing in his first season at the club.
Djordje Mihailovic converts the penalty and the @ColoradoRapids lead it late. pic.twitter.com/ysa2exnPzs
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) July 5, 2024
Philadelphia Union. Philly started off this season as playoff contenders, with Argentine playmaker Julian Carranza looking like one of the most creative midfielders in the league. It's closing out the first part of the season in dead last place with Carranza gone to Feyenoord in the Netherlands.
Philadelphia has long been known for its thrifty approach to building an MLS roster, and it's managed to compete despite not having the game-changing players of its peers ... but in a post-Messi MLS landscape, Philadelphia has to change its approach.
Ryan Gauld, Vancouver Whitecaps. If you'd been asked to pre-select MLS' most valuable attacker before the 2024 season began, chances are good you would've gone for the obvious choices: Miami's Luis Suarez, Columbus's Cucho Hernandez, Real Salt Lake's Chicho Arango, LAFC's Denis Bouanga.
But Gauld, the 28-year-old diminutive Scotsman, has made a real case for the title from his position in one of the league's most surprising teams. He's got nine goals and nine assists for the Whitecaps this season and is second in MLS for key passes ... and he cost Vancouver a fraction of what it would've paid for a big name.
Everyone else in MLS must be kicking themselves for missing out on Gauld.
From way downtown.
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) June 19, 2024
Ryan Gauld’s strike is the @ATT Goal of the Matchday. https://t.co/bZpSezWAIZ pic.twitter.com/gc3uZos2Tu
Hugo Cuypers, Chicago Fire. Chicago has been struggling for a long time, but there was a feeling around the club that a tried-and-tested striker might lift it out of the doldrums. Cuypers, signed from Gent over the winter break, was meant to be that striker, but he's turned out to be just another misfire instead.
Cuypers has struggled to mesh with his teammates and seems overawed by the pace and physicality of MLS. He wasn't cheap, either--Cuypers was signed for a club-record $12M transfer fee.
Chicago now must make a difficult call about whether it should cut Cuypers loose and lose out on that money, or invest in him for multiple seasons and lose out on the Designated Player spot. Neither option looks great.
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Luis Díaz’s move to Bayern Munich for a reported €75 million (around £65.5 million, including add-ons) wasn’t just a blockbuster summer transfer; it was a prime example of Liverpool playing the market smartly. While fans might feel watching the Colombian winger leave after three impactful years at Anfield, the reality is that the Reds cashed in at the right time, on their own terms. Bayern’s earlier bid of €67.5 million was turned down, but when Díaz made it clear he was ready for a new challenge, and Liverpool saw contract extension talks stalling, they took control of the situation. The club chose to sell at full market value rather than risk losing a valuable asset for less down the line. In today’s climate, getting top dollar for a player pushing 30 with no new deal in sight is no small achievement. They signed him from Porto in January 2022 for £37.5 million, rising to £50 million with add-ons. The sale now not only brings in profit but also helps Liverpool enhance their galactic transfer window even further. The Reds Played This Window Like Pros Liverpool has had a busy, record-breaking summer of high spending, with over £300 million spent on fresh faces like Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong, Milos Kerkez, and Hugo Ekitike. Those names don’t come cheap, but while many clubs overextend during rebuilds, Liverpool has kept things tidy on the financial front. Offloading Díaz, along with departures like Trent Alexander-Arnold, Caoimhin Kelleher, and Jarell Quansah, has brought in nearly £125 million in total, helping to balance their books and avoid falling foul of FFP regulations. Liverpool found the sweet spot between emotion and economics in a transfer market where clubs either panic-buy or cling onto stars for too long. No Room For Stalemates Let’s not forget, this wasn’t just about money. Behind the scenes, Díaz’s future was uncertain for months. Liverpool made two attempts to extend his contract, but neither went anywhere. Sources close to the player had hinted at his decision to leave as early as summer 2024, especially after his stock rose following a strong 2023/24 campaign. Bayern came knocking with a better deal in July 2025, and the writing was on the wall. The club’s decision to leave Díaz out of the pre-season friendly against AC Milan, despite no injury concerns, was a clear sign that things were moving quickly. Rather than drag the saga out and risk it affecting the dressing room, Liverpool acted decisively. A Big Departure, But Vision Remains Since his Liverpool debut, Díaz has made 148 appearances, scoring 40+ goals and providing around 23 assists. He was electric, unpredictable, and crucial for the club during the 2024-25 season, notching 17 goals and eight assists in 50 games as the Reds lifted the Premier League title. He offered more than just stats; his flair on the left wing, defensive work rate, and ability to change games were undeniable. Liverpool has a long history of letting stars go when the timing is right, and this move feels consistent with that tradition. A Squad Ready To Evolve With Díaz gone and Darwin Núñez also rumored to be on his way out, Liverpool’s front line is undergoing a reshuffle. The likes of Cody Gakpo, Mohamed Salah, and new boy Ekitike give Slot plenty to work with, but the real excitement lies in the club’s pursuit of Alexander Isak. The Newcastle striker is being lined up as a potential record-breaking signing, with Liverpool preparing a huge bid to bring the Swedish international to Anfield, and they’re thinking of breaking the British transfer record for the second time in a single window. Isak has reportedly rejected offers from Saudi Arabia, making Liverpool his preferred destination. The Díaz funds could prove vital in landing him, proof that Liverpool aren’t just cashing in, they’re already preparing the next chapter.
Are the Milwaukee Brewers still in the running for Eugenio Suárez? While it’s difficult to gauge the precise status of any Suárez-Brewers talks, one thing is clear — there are multiple contenders in hot pursuit of the Arizona Diamondbacks slugger. MLB.com’s Thomas Harrigan called Milwaukee the No. 2 landing spot for Suárez on Saturday (behind the Philadelphia Phillies) and also included the Seattle Mariners, Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds, Detroit Tigers, and Houston Astros on his list. On Monday, USA Today’s Bob Nightengale provided an interesting update on the Tigers’ connection to Suárez. “The Detroit Tigers, one of the strong suitors for Diamondbacks All Star 3B Eugenio Suarez, would love to finalize a deal before Suarez leaves town Wednesday,” Nightengale wrote on Monday afternoon. “The DBacks are in Detroit for 3-game series.” Does Detroit, set to share physical proximity with Suárez over the next 72 hours, suddenly have the upper hand in the sweepstakes for the All-Star? That would be a wild development if so. Suárez and his suitors have become the leading topic amid what has otherwise been a quiet trade deadline, although analysts believe a flurry of moves will happen on Thursday with hours remaining before the literal deadline. Suárez’s recent production has only fueled the trade buzz. He’s hit 36 home runs this year and represents the most impactful bat on the market. Brewers fans are still split on whether acquiring Suárez would make a winning team better or possibly interrupt flawless chemistry. The only shocking outcome at this point would be if Suárez is still wearing a Diamondbacks uniform when August begins.
The Dallas Cowboys have lost two starting offensive linemen in two days. Earlier on Monday, reports surfaced that offensive guard Rob Jones broke a bone in his neck during Sunday’s practice at the River Ridge Fields in Oxnard, California. Jones is expected to miss two to three months and could leave the team leaning on rookie Tyler Booker to protect quarterback Dak Prescott in Week 1 when they play the Philadelphia Eagles. Dallas Cowboys OL Tyler Guyton suffered an injury On Monday, starting left tackle Tyler Guyton exited practice with an injury. “Cowboys LT Tyler Guyton went down during training camp and, after being on the ground for a couple of minutes, gingerly walked to the locker room with some help,” posted Ari Meirov of the 33rd Team. Guyton, 24, was the Cowboys’ 2024 first-round pick out of Oklahoma. He appeared in 15 games last season and started in 11. As of this publishing, it’s unclear how serious the injury is to the six-foot-eight, 322-pound athlete. Per OurLads, Asim Richard is listed as Dallas’ backup LT on the depth chart. The Cowboys drafted Richards in the fifth round in 2023. He’s appeared in 21 games and started one. The injuries are starting to mount for the Cowboys’ offensive line, and that’s a concern for an offense that needs to protect Prescott, coming off a season-ending injury in 2024.
The Los Angeles Lakers could make yet another addition to their roster this offseason. After a poor postseason run, the Los Angeles Lakers have been active this summer in hopes of bolstering their roster. In fact, general manager Rob Pelinka has already made some key additions to the roster, including Deandre Ayton, Jake LaRavia, and Marcus Smart. Signing an elite center was arguably the most important task for Pelinka this offseason, and he fulfilled it with the arrival of Ayton. However, one could argue that the Lakers still need a quality backup center. Luka Doncic could recruit Nikola Vucevic to the Los Angeles Lakers While the Lakers re-signed Jaxson Hayes, a player of Chicago Bulls star Nikola Vucevic’s caliber would undoubtedly be a major upgrade. Moreover, with Vucevic being on the Lakers’ radar for years, it means that the organization rates him highly. Previously, the Bulls didn’t indulge in a trade with the Purple and Gold around Vucevic. It has led to Vucevic’s trade value diminishing so much that he is expected to complete a contract buyout with the Bulls. The Laker Nation would love to sign the 34-year-old, and Luka Doncic can help in this quest. How? Well, Doncic and Vucevic share the same agent in Bill Duffy. This means that if Vucevic completes a buyout, the Lakers could have the upper hand in negotiations. The 2x NBA All-Star has given the last five and a half seasons of his career to the Bulls, but it’s obvious that their time together is about to end sooner rather than later. Adding fuel to the fire were former Orlando Magic star Evan Fournier’s comments. Fournier ridiculed the Bulls while taking a shot at Vucevic after the latter called out his move overseas. Luka Doncic has already proven he can recruit stars Ahead of his first full season with the Lakers, Doncic is doing everything in his power to bring back the glory days for the Lakers. He has already undergone a massive transformation to silence his critics. Additionally, Doncic has been actively involved in recruiting players for the Lakers. Smart admitted Doncic was a huge reason behind his decision to sign with the Lakers. Ayton also acknowledged Luka’s role in his decision to join the Purple and Gold. Let’s not forget Ayton also has the same agent as the Slovenian superstar. So, Doncic has already given the inside track for one star; there’s no reason to doubt he would do the same in Vucevic’s case.