Signings Report — Major League Soccer 2020

Clubs' accuracy in the market · Published on March 15, 2021

We identified 259 real signings across the 26 clubs of Major League Soccer; 248 are included in the hit-rate calculation (11 youth investments set aside). Signings without relevant game time are classified as unsuccessful. League average hit rate: 32%.

Comparison with 2019

The league's average hit rate was 32%, against 31% the previous season (▲ 2 p.p.). There were 259 real signings, against 246 in 2019.

Hit rate by club

1º FC Dallas (13th in the league · 4 eval.)
75%
2º CF Montreal (18th in the league · 4 eval.)
62%
3º Sporting Kansas City (9th in the league · 6 eval.)
58%
4º Chicago Fire (20th in the league · 10 eval.)
55%
5º Vancouver Whitecaps (17th in the league · 8 eval.)
44%
6º New England Revolution (10th in the league · 7 eval.)
43%
7º Portland Timbers (3rd in the league · 7 eval.)
43%
8º Seattle Sounders (5th in the league · 6 eval.)
42%
9º Nashville SC (11th in the league · 28 eval.)
41%
10º Philadelphia Union (2nd in the league · 4 eval.)
38%
11º FC Cincinnati (26th in the league · 10 eval.)
35%
12º Houston Dynamo (24th in the league · 9 eval.)
33%
13º Los Angeles FC (12th in the league · 9 eval.)
33%
14º Toronto FC (7th in the league · 3 eval.)
33%
15º Atlanta United FC (21st in the league · 11 eval.)
27%
16º Inter Miami (19th in the league · 26 eval.)
27%
17º Columbus Crew (1st in the league · 10 eval.)
25%
18º Orlando City SC (4th in the league · 17 eval.)
24%
19º Los Angeles Galaxy (23rd in the league · 9 eval.)
22%
20º Minnesota United FC (6th in the league · 16 eval.)
19%
21º Colorado Rapids (16th in the league · 8 eval.)
19%
22º DC United (25th in the league · 9 eval.)
17%
23º Real Salt Lake (22nd in the league · 7 eval.)
14%
24º New York Red Bulls (15th in the league · 4 eval.)
12%
25º New York City FC (8th in the league · 15 eval.)
0%
26º San Jose Earthquakes (14th in the league · 1 eval.)
0%

Detailed ranking

ClubLeague positionSigningsEvaluatedSuccessfulFairUnsuccessfulHit rate %
FC Dallas13º4422075%
CF Montreal18º6421162%
Sporting Kansas City6631258%
Chicago Fire20º111043355%
Vancouver Whitecaps17º8823344%
New England Revolution10º7722343%
Portland Timbers7722343%
Seattle Sounders6621342%
Nashville SC11º2828871341%
10ºPhiladelphia Union4411238%
11ºFC Cincinnati26º101023535%
12ºHouston Dynamo24º9930633%
13ºLos Angeles FC12º9914433%
14ºToronto FC3310233%
15ºAtlanta United FC21º111114627%
16ºInter Miami19º2626461627%
17ºColumbus Crew101021725%
18ºOrlando City SC2217321224%
19ºLos Angeles Galaxy23º9912622%
20ºMinnesota United FC1616141119%
21ºColorado Rapids16º8811619%
22ºDC United25º9911717%
23ºReal Salt Lake22º7710614%
24ºNew York Red Bulls15º4401312%
25ºNew York City FC171500150%
26ºSan Jose Earthquakes14º210010%

Season Highlights

PlayerClubMinG+ANotaRating
Lewis MorganInter Miami19705+57.60Excellent
Darwin QuinteroHouston Dynamo16937+77.50Excellent
Lucas ZelarayánColumbus Crew13208+37.43Excellent
Robert BerićChicago Fire185711+16.97Excellent
Emanuel ReynosoMinnesota United FC10752+127.55Excellent

Methodology

Only genuine signings for the first-team squad are considered — academy promotions, loan returns and internal moves are excluded. Each evaluated signing is classified into five tiers from a score that combines match ratings, attacking output adjusted for game time and consistency over the season, in comparison with the other players in the competition. Successful signings count as a full point; Fair ones, half a point.

Appendix — Signings by club

* Youth investment (under-23, no game time) — outside the calculation.

Atlanta United FC (11 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Brooks Lennon23177023Excellent
Fernando Meza20108100Did not deliver
Adam Jahn23107631Fair
Matheus Rossetto1678700Did not deliver
Jake Mulraney2173211Below expectations
Jürgen Damm1464903Fair
Erick Torres1350810Fair
Marcelino Moreno646921Fair
Manuel Castro1227100Did not deliver
Edgar Castillo1014500Did not deliver
Jerome Williams11700Did not deliver

CF Montreal (6 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Victor Wanyama21190421Excellent
Romell Quioto20158384Excellent
Emanuel Maciel1284003Fair
Joel Waterman1546101Did not deliver
James Pantemis *1018500Investment
Mason Toye *817501Investment

Chicago Fire (11 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Álvaro Medrán22192223Excellent
Robert Berić221857111Excellent
Boris Sekulić20174821Good
Gastón Giménez18156703Excellent
Bobby Shuttleworth16145100Fair
Ignacio Aliseda19132112Fair
Miguel Navarro1897301Fair
Wyatt Omsberg1419901Did not deliver
Connor Sparrow129000Did not deliver
Luka Stojanović26200Did not deliver
Carlos Terán *41400Investment

Colorado Rapids (8 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
William Yarbrough16135000Below expectations
Younes Namli18134523Excellent
Nicolas Benezet1353401Fair
Auston Trusty1252501Did not deliver
Drew Moor1549410Did not deliver
Collen Warner1026300Did not deliver
Braian Galván1225411Below expectations
Steven Beitashour7000Did not deliver

Columbus Crew (10 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Darlington Nagbe17139420Good
Lucas Zelarayán19132083Excellent
Derrick Etienne24106623Fair
Fatai Alashe1244110Did not deliver
Emmanuel Boateng1934900Did not deliver
Fanendo Adi1619200Did not deliver
Krisztián Németh919110Did not deliver
Vito Wormgoor210700Did not deliver
Grant Lillard4000Did not deliver
Matt Lampson4000Did not deliver

DC United (9 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Julian Gressel22168323Excellent
Edison Flores1387203Fair
Erik Sorga1868810Below expectations
Gelmin Rivas1450320Below expectations
Mohammed Abu633200Did not deliver
Yordy Reyna623700Did not deliver
Axel Sjöberg1517100Did not deliver
Federico Higuaín1316520Did not deliver
Rick14501Did not deliver

FC Cincinnati (10 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Haris Medunjanin20165011Excellent
Jürgen Locadia16133710Fair
Yuya Kubo19128430Good
Tom Pettersson15106400Below expectations
Brandon Vazquez2079522Fair
Siem de Jong1471400Below expectations
Adrien Regattin1063002Fair
Kamohelo Mokotjo846100Did not deliver
Saad Abdul-Salaam1144000Did not deliver
Álvaro Barreal426800Did not deliver

FC Dallas (4 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Thiago Santos22171700Fair
Franco Jara20147870Good
Andres Ricaurte17120211Fair
Fafà Picault19112631Good

Houston Dynamo (9 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Marko Marić23207400Good
Darwin Quintero22169377Excellent
Zarek Valentin23162502Below expectations
Ariel Lassiter1694931Good
Victor Cabrera1566800Did not deliver
Nico Lemoine1412100Did not deliver
Wilfried Zahibo1111800Did not deliver
Rick23900Did not deliver
Cody Cropper16000Did not deliver

Inter Miami (26 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Lewis Morgan23197055Excellent
Jorge Figal21175300Fair
Rodolfo Pizarro19164244Excellent
Ben Sweat22161702Fair
Leandro Gonzalez Pirez16144721Good
Victor Ulloa23139801Fair
Blaise Matuidi16137710Good
Wil Trapp23135900Below expectations
Luis Robles14126000Fair
Andres Reyes13104900Below expectations
Juan Agudelo1883020Below expectations
John McCarthy1782400Did not deliver
Gonzalo Higuaín980912Fair
Brek Shea1562840Fair
Julián Carranza1958120Below expectations
A.J. DeLaGarza1352400Did not deliver
Róman Torres932500Did not deliver
Mikey Ambrose2029710Did not deliver
Alvas Powell729200Did not deliver
Jay Chapman1720100Did not deliver
Christian Makoun819400Did not deliver
Lee Nguyen68100Did not deliver
Federico Higuaín63400Did not deliver
Jerome Kiesewetter22300Did not deliver
Grant Lillard0000Did not deliver
Luis Argudo0000Did not deliver

Los Angeles FC (9 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Francisco Ginella24119313Fair
Bradley Wright-Phillips20117085Excellent
José Cifuentes19115712Fair
Kenneth Vermeer2281000Did not deliver
Daniel Musovski1663951Fair
Jesús Murillo648401Fair
Andy Najar918501Did not deliver
Alejandro Guido2000Did not deliver
Mark Segbres1000Did not deliver

Los Angeles Galaxy (9 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Emiliano Insúa22189102Good
Nick DePuy20140901Below expectations
Sacha Kljestan1977500Did not deliver
Javier Hernández1275820Fair
Yony González948201Fair
Aleksandar Katai211700Did not deliver
Gordon Wild73001Did not deliver
Rick1100Did not deliver
Danilo Acosta0000Did not deliver

Minnesota United FC (16 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Dayne St Clair16136300Fair
Jose Aja20118011Below expectations
Emanuel Reynoso151075212Excellent
Bakaye Dibassy14105620Fair
Jacori Hayes1674621Fair
Tyler Miller654900Below expectations
Luis Amarilla954431Fair
Marlon Hairston1852810Did not deliver
Kei Kamara943410Below expectations
Aaron Schoenfeld1843200Did not deliver
Raheem Edwards1929801Did not deliver
Gregory Ranjitsingh627700Did not deliver
James Musa1416800Did not deliver
Foster Langsdorf1900Did not deliver
Adrian Zendejas11000Did not deliver
Kevin Partida1000Did not deliver

Nashville SC (28 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
David Romney25229811Excellent
Joe Willis25229800Good
Walker Zimmermann24218230Excellent
Daniel Lovitz24211812Good
Dax McCarty25190623Good
Randall Leal23180444Excellent
Aníbal Godoy21157310Good
Alistair Johnston20150100Below expectations
Alex Muyl20128703Fair
Hany Mukhtar18127153Good
Tah Anunga1992200Did not deliver
Daniel Rios2078150Fair
Dominique Badji1375011Fair
Jalil Anibaba2261100Did not deliver
Abu Danladi1757521Fair
Derrick Jones1453601Below expectations
Eric Miller1843500Did not deliver
Taylor Washington2142701Did not deliver
Derrick Jones741901Fair
Jhonder Cadiz936620Fair
Alan Winn924500Did not deliver
David Accam720510Fair
Rick28900Did not deliver
Brayan Beckeles107600Did not deliver
Handwalla Bwana46400Did not deliver
Jimmy Medranda1800Did not deliver
Miguel Nazarit2000Did not deliver
Adrian Zendejas0000Did not deliver

New England Revolution (7 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Henry Kessler27220310Good
Adam Buksa28197271Good
Alexander Büttner19134903Fair
Matt Polster19113001Fair
Thomas McNamara1998001Below expectations
Kekuta Manneh1818611Did not deliver
Seth Sinovic71300Did not deliver

New York City FC (17 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Gudmundur Thórarinsson1855601Did not deliver
Pedro Gallese19000Did not deliver
Robin Jansson19000Did not deliver
João Moutinho19001Did not deliver
Nani19000Did not deliver
Júnior Urso19000Did not deliver
Ruan19000Did not deliver
Antônio Carlos19000Did not deliver
Mauricio Pereyra18000Did not deliver
Chris Mueller18020Did not deliver
Oriol Rosell16500Did not deliver
Dominic Dwyer16101Did not deliver
Tesho Akindele12910Did not deliver
Jhegson Méndez12500Did not deliver
Gedion Zelalem11400Did not deliver
Benji Michel *11000Investment
Andrés Perea *11000Investment

New York Red Bulls (4 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Jason Pendant20164002Fair
David Jensen2095000Did not deliver
Mandela Egbo1745211Did not deliver
Samuel Tetteh1428800Did not deliver

Orlando City SC (22 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Antônio Carlos22185311Good
Pedro Gallese20183600Good
Júnior Urso24170942Excellent
Andrés Perea24125602Fair
Rodrigo Schlegel2069200Did not deliver
João Moutinho762801Fair
Alexander Ring19000Did not deliver
Alexander Callens19000Did not deliver
Ronald Matarrita19000Did not deliver
Sean Johnson19000Did not deliver
Anton Tinnerholm19000Did not deliver
Héber19001Did not deliver
Maxime Chanot19000Did not deliver
Valentín Castellanos *18700Investment
Jesús Medina *16810Investment
James Sands *16800Investment
Gudmundur Thórarinsson14500Did not deliver
Ismael Tajouri-Shradi14500Did not deliver
Alexandru Mitriță12200Did not deliver
Keaton Parks *12200Investment
Gary Mackay-Steven11400Did not deliver
Mason Stajduhar *6000Investment

Philadelphia Union (4 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Jakob Glesnes20151110Fair
José Martínez17137602Good
Joe Bendik1410400Did not deliver
Matej Oravec5000Did not deliver

Portland Timbers (7 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Dario Župarić24188511Fair
Yimmi Chará22128544Excellent
Felipe Mora22123272Good
Chris Duvall1692500Did not deliver
Jarosław Niezgoda2171272Fair
Rick318300Did not deliver
Aljaž Ivačič1318000Did not deliver

Real Salt Lake (7 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Justin Meram22117133Good
Zac MacMath1763000Did not deliver
Giuseppe Rossi717610Did not deliver
Jeizon Ramirez1210800Did not deliver
Alvin Jones54500Did not deliver
Ashtone Morgan0000Did not deliver
Nicolas Gimenez0000Did not deliver

San Jose Earthquakes (2 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Oswaldo Alanís18128510Below expectations
Jack Skahan *63400Investment

Seattle Sounders (6 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Yeimar Gomez Andrade23199920Excellent
João Paulo23181423Excellent
Shane O'Neill25168510Fair
Miguel Ibarra1927500Did not deliver
Jimmy Medranda63000Did not deliver
Stefan Cleveland19000Did not deliver

Sporting Kansas City (6 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Roberto Punčec21178601Good
Gadi Kinda19140262Excellent
Alan Pulido1297474Excellent
Amadou Dia1695901Below expectations
Winston Reid1183410Fair
Richard Sánchez39000Did not deliver

Toronto FC (3 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Pablo Piatti19149743Excellent
Ifunanyachi Achara18910Did not deliver
Rick2000Did not deliver

Vancouver Whitecaps (8 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Cristián Dájome22153623Good
Lucas Cavallini18146460Good
Ranko Veselinovic20130100Did not deliver
Leonard Owusu19122801Fair
Janio Bikel1295500Fair
Manuel David Milinkovic1781213Fair
Evan Bush972700Did not deliver
Cristián Gutiérrez1467101Did not deliver
Signings Report · Major League Soccer 2020 · March 15, 2021