Major League Soccer sold two of the biggest stars to ever pass through the league, and Goal looks back at how they rank with all-time DP signings
Miguel Almiron and Sebastian Giovinco, two of the most exciting and effective players in Major League Soccer history, both said goodbye to MLS on the same day, each completing transfers during what has been a busy offseason of transfers for the league.
Almiron and Giovinco leave having led their respective teams to MLS Cup titles, and with each living up to the high expectations that arrived with them. They were both high-profile designated player signings, and each dominated the league with their own unique attacking styles.
How do they measure up compared to some of the best DP signings in MLS history? You can definitely make the argument that they are two of the best DP signings ever, if not the very best. Giovinco's MVP season in 2015 was arguably the best individual season in league history, while Almiron's two-year stint with Atlanta United saw him emerge as the Five Stripes' most dangerous player.
Measuring the impact of designated player signings goes beyond wins and losses and trophies. There have been players who secured trophies, but also made a major impact in terms of marketing and boosting the visibility of teams in certain markets, as well as visibility internationally.
For the purposes of this list of top designated players, we will focus solely on players who arrived in MLS as DP signings, and excluding all players who began their MLS careers on non-DP contracts. That leaves out the likes of Landon Donovan and Bradley Wright-Phillips, among others. We are also focusing on players with multiple MLS seasons under their belts, so Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Wayne Rooney will have to wait to work their way onto this list.
Here are the top 10 best DP signings in MLS history:
Getty Images10Thierry Henry (New York Red Bulls)When Henry arrived at Red Bull Arena, the New York Red Bulls had just recently moved into their new stadium, and they badly needed a star to help them rebuild their fan base. He wasn't able to help the Red Bulls end their MLS Cup drought, but he did help them win their first piece of silverware (the 2013 Supporters' Shield) and finished his five-year stint with the Red Bulls as the leading assist man in team history.AdvertisementJennifer Buchanan9Nicolas Lodeiro (Seattle Sounders)When the Uruguayan playmaker arrived in 2016, the Seattle Sounders were a mess, having recently fired then-coach Sigi Schmid and trying desperately to turn things around. Lodeiro helped the Sounders regroup and eventually win the 2016 MLS Cup final. Lodeiro's three-year stint in Seattle saw the Sounders return to the MLS Cup final in 2017 and reach the playoffs yet again in 2018. He has delivered 19 goals and 36 assists in regular season action for the Sounders.Getty Images8Juan Pablo Angel (New York Red Bulls)The Colombian striker was one of the league's first designated player signings, arriving in 2007, the same year David Beckham landed in Los Angeles. Though his arrival didn't bring the same level of international fanfare, Angel became a fan favorite with the New York Red Bulls by delivering goals for four straight years and helping the Red Bulls reach the MLS Cup final in 2008. He left the Red Bulls after scoring 62 goals in four seasons, a team record that stood until Bradley Wright-Phillips broke it.Kevin C. Cox7Josef Martinez (Atlanta United)No player in MLS history has had a better two-year run than Martinez, who shattered the single-season goal-scoring record, notching 31 strikes to help Atlanta United win the MLS Cup title. Martinez's 50 goals in two seasons is an unmatched run, and his status as the face of the franchise helps put him high on this list after just two seasons. If he can add a few more titles to his total, Martinez could be topping this list in a few years.