Highs and lows from the MLS transfer window
The MLS transfer window closed Monday night, and with it closed the first opportunity for clubs to bolster their rosters for 2023. Here are highs and lows from the action:
High: Malte Amundsen to Columbus. The Danish defender had fallen out of favor at New York City FC, with coach Nick Cushing preferring Braian Cufré recently. Amundsen's move to Columbus should guarantee him a starting position and get him the minutes he deserves. Columbus desperately needs the help after Will Sands' season-ending ACL injury, and Amundsen's forward-thinking mindset and excellent crosses should make for a great fit for Columbus' playing style.
Low: Mauricio Cuevas to the L.A. Galaxy. Cuevas, a former Galaxy academy player, returns to the club after a short stint in Belgium with Brugge's youth outfit Club NXT. All parties had higher hopes for Cuevas in Europe than 23 starts in the Belgian second tier, so this move is strange.
Why is Cuevas returning so early when he clearly needs more time to grow? Why aren't the Galaxy pushing for a more experienced defender instead? On the surface, Cuevas is not an upgrade on the Galaxy's starters. Denying him necessary development in Europe feels like a shortsighted and unambitious move by the Galaxy.
High: Danny Leyva to Colorado. This one's just a loan, not a full-on transfer, and that's excellent for everyone involved. Colorado gets a talented 19-year-old midfielder to replace injured captain Jack Price. Leyva gets the opportunity to shine in the Western Conference at a young age, and the Seattle Sounders, Leyva's home club, get to recall a significantly more experienced player in 2024. Leyva could be a standout with Colorado. He's a more attacking option than Price, and with just six goals scored this season, the club needs someone like him to wake it up.
Low: C.J. Sapong to Toronto. Is Toronto the best environment for 34-year-old Sapong? He has admitted to having trouble fitting in in international dressing rooms. When speaking about his time in Chicago, a club that featured eight European players when he arrived, the American-born Sapong told the Tennessean, "You have guys coming into a country that might not have ever been before. Whereas, looking at Nashville, it feels like, everyone has an understanding. And if not an understanding, a willingness to understand the culture here and a willingness to assimilate."
Sapong will be the one assimilating for Bob Bradley's Toronto squad. His strike partners will be Italians Lorenzo Insigne and Federico Bernardeschi. Sapong may take time to settle up north, and time is something that neither he nor 12th-place Toronto has.
High: Paul Arriola to...nowhere. The L.A. Galaxy have been making advances in Arriola's direction all season, but it looks like he's staying put in Dallas for the time being. This is huge for the Texas club, which has sneakily become one of the steadiest clubs in the Western Conference. Dallas is comfortably in fourth, behind St. Louis, Seattle and Los Angeles FC, and looks like a lock for the playoffs. The Galaxy, meanwhile, are languishing in 13th with just one win. Arriola is an underrated player, and Nico Estevez's FC Dallas offers him a great opportunity to change that this season.
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