MLS Summer Transfer Rumors: Who could be joining the league after the World Cup?

By Andrew Crowell - @ajc10_11

As the summer transfer window gets closer, American and European news sources alike begin to speculate on where players will move, especially prominent players who are out of contract. Here is a list of 10 big-name players who could potentially make their way to the USA this summer for a new challenge. 

Casemiro

While a player already linked with a move to the MLS, specifically Inter Miami and the LA Galaxy, Casemiro has shown he can still perform on the big stage after turning in stellar performance after stellar performance this season for Manchester United, prompting interim manager Michael Carrick to even say he would love for the legendary midfielder to stay another season.

Mohamed Salah

One of the best Premier League players of all time, Mohamed Salah is not a very likely option considering his ties to the Saudi League. He would easily become the biggest player in the Saudi League and bring in not only lots of money but views and popularity to the Saudi League as well. There are big city clubs in MLS with Designated Player (DP) spots open, and some that have said they are at least loosely interested in discussing Salah. The most recent rumor mill discussions have included New York City FC.

Phillipe Coutinho

An attacking midfielder who was once considered one of the best in the world, Phillipe Coutinho hasn’t had a proper role at a club in almost five years. He has floated from team to team since he departed from FC Barcelona, including stints with Aston Villa, Qatari club Al-Duhail, and Brazilian club Vasco de Gama. Can the Brazilian find a new home in MLS and finish his career on a high note? Is an MLS club willing to take on the risk of such a signing? There are a lot of questions about Coutinho, but his class performances earlier in his career speak for themselves.

Julian Brandt

The current Borussia Dortmund midfielder is out of contract this summer and has been confirmed to be leaving. Brandt is only 29 years old, with more years of his prime left. This means European clubs will certainly come knocking for his services, and MLS will have lots of competition for his signature. While a fantastic player, Brandt may be a bit of a wildcard considering his age and current status. However, Bundesliga players have been making the jump recently and not always to the usual destinations. Thomas Muller to Vancouver and Timo Werner to San Jose are great examples of this deviation from the MLS norm.

Dele Alli

Maybe one of the biggest “what ifs” in recent times, Dele Alli finds himself without a club after having his contract with Italian side Como terminated in September of 2025. After exploding onto the scene with Tottenham Hotspur in 2016 with 18 Premier League goals, he never quite followed that season up and slowly declined in production before falling out of favor with managers Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte before being shipped off to Everton. He is currently training at his boyhood club, Tottenham Hotspur, as he keeps himself in shape for a new club.

Raheem Sterling

Known for his pace and dribbling prowess, Raheem Sterling made his name at Liverpool before moving to Manchester City in 2015, going on to win four Premier League titles with the club. He spent some time with Chelsea and Arsenal before moving to Feyenoord in February of 2026 until the end of this season. He has made five appearances for the Dutch club, recording zero goals. The winger is now 31 years old and has shown signs of losing his pace, making it harder to make a difference at the top level. He was previously linked with MLS clubs at the end of 2025, offers which he declined at the time.

Adama Traore

Coming up through Barcelona’s academy system, Adama Traore made his name in the Premier League/Championship, featuring for clubs including Aston Villa, Middlesbrough, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Fulham, and currently West Ham United. He returned to his boyhood club on loan in 2022, featuring 11 times for the Catalan side. Known for his bodybuilder-like physique and his lightning pace, his footballing ability has come into question often, but he is certainly a physical specimen. His athleticism makes him a good candidate for MLS, if a team is willing to gamble on his subpar technical ability.

Allan Saint-Maximin

Another pacey winger that made his name in the Premier League, Allan Saint-Maximin is a 29-year-old French winger who currently plays for French club RC Lens, where he has made four appearances this season, scoring one goal. His pace and dribbling ability on the ball make him an interesting prospect for MLS if he were to accept the move, which, considering his age, may be difficult. He does have experience on the continent, though, as he spent a season at Club America in Mexico last year, featuring 16 times, and netting three goals. 

Sadio Mane

While no direct rumors of Mane to MLS have come to fruition, he is one of the big-name players who are typically mentioned with a potential move to the US. While being a big part of one of the best Liverpool teams of all time, Sadio Mane saw his Premier League career end with a move to Bayern Munich in 2022 before leaving for the Saudi League in 2023, joining Cristiano Ronaldo and Al Nassr. In the Saudi League, he has featured 82 times, contributing 34 goals, showing he still has the quality to contribute. Whether he would make a move to MLS is up in the air, however, as there are no well-known reports of him expressing a desire to join the league.

Bernardo Silva

Fabrizio Romano reported yesterday that Bernardo Silva will indeed be leaving Manchester City as a free agent this summer. Silva is focused on the rest of the season before making his decision in the summer, but Romano mentioned that clubs in Europe, Saudi Arabia, and MLS are interested. The Portuguese midfielder is a club legend at City and has been a part of most of Pep Guardiola's tenure and success at the Premier League club.

While previously covering players that have a connection to Dean Smith, this list covers players that are linked to MLS, a new league without having an established connection to Charlotte FC. While many of these big-name players will hone in on the top US markets as options, more and more big-time players are finding clubs in MLS outside of the usual suspects. Could any of them make the move to Charlotte or other mid-market clubs? Only time will tell. For Charlotte, specifically, they would need to open a DP spot to give themselves the chance to put their hat in the ring.