Signings Report — Major League Soccer 2021

Quantitative analysis of clubs' accuracy in the market · Published on January 3, 2022
231
Real signings
224
Evaluated
33%
Average hit rate
51
Successful
▲ 1 p.p.
vs 2020 season

We identified 231 real signings for the first-team squad — academy promotions, loan returns and transfers that never went through are excluded. 7 youth investments (under-23) are classified separately. This edition introduces the adjusted hit rate, which statistically weights clubs with few signings to avoid small-sample distortions.

Club Ranking

ClubLeague pos.SigningsEvaluated SuccessfulFairUnsuccessfulRaw %Adjusted %
1Houston Dynamo25º101044260%48%
2San Jose Earthquakes20º6623158%44%
3Vancouver Whitecaps12º6631258%44%
4Los Angeles Galaxy15º131343642%39%
5CF Montreal18º9823344%38%
6New York Red Bulls14º101032540%37%
7Portland Timbers6621342%37%
8Real Salt Lake6613242%37%
9Seattle Sounders8621342%37%
10Austin24º2424651335%35%
11FC Cincinnati27º141442836%35%
12Chicago Fire22º4411238%34%
13Minnesota United FC13º101031635%34%
14Colorado Rapids5511330%32%
15Toronto FC26º5511330%32%
16Inter Miami21º101022630%31%
17New York City FC7712429%31%
18Philadelphia Union6410325%30%
19Sporting Kansas City4410325%30%
20DC United16º9913528%30%
21FC Dallas23º6611425%30%
22Nashville SC6510420%28%
23Atlanta United FC10º111121823%27%
24Orlando City SC11º5401312%26%
25Los Angeles FC19º101012720%26%
26New England Revolution9910811%21%
27Columbus Crew17º121203912%21%

The Adjusted % applies Bayesian weighting toward the league average (33%), proportional to the volume of signings — the ranking's official order.

Hit rate by transfer window

WindowSigningsHit rate %
Start-of-season window (Dec-Apr)18033%
Mid-year window (May-Aug)5135%

Season Highlights

PlayerClubPosMinG+ANotaRating
Djordje MihailovićCF MontrealM28154+137.44Excellent
Luciano AcostaFC CincinnatiM27367+87.23Excellent
Charles SapongNashville SCF231512+57.16Excellent
Fafà PicaultHouston DynamoM247311+47.11Excellent
Javier LópezSan Jose EarthquakesM223412+37.04Excellent
Cristian ArangoLos Angeles FCF140514+27.60Excellent

Methodology

Each evaluated signing is classified into five tiers from a score that combines match ratings, attacking output adjusted for game time, collective contribution and consistency, in comparison with the other players in the competition. Successful signings count as a full point; Fair ones, half a point. Signings without relevant game time are unsuccessful, except for youth investments (under-23) and serious, documented injuries.

Appendix — Signings by club

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

Atlanta United FC (11 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Santiago Sosa26228900Good
Alan Franco31214503Fair
Luiz Araújo16122043Excellent
Erik Lopez2588110Did not deliver
Franco Ibarra1878300Did not deliver
Ronald Hernández2665810Did not deliver
Amar Sejdic1643800Did not deliver
Lisandro López214200Did not deliver
Alex De John1812200Did not deliver
Jack Gurr24500Did not deliver
Rick1200Did not deliver

Austin (24 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Brad Stuver34297600Good
Alexander Ring31271443Excellent
Diego Fagúndez33253974Excellent
Julio Cascante34242221Fair
Tomás Pochettino31224121Excellent
Žan Kolmanič33211003Good
Nick Lima28199902Fair
Jhohan Romaña32180500Did not deliver
Matt Besler21175200Fair
Héctor Jimenez30164111Fair
Sebastián Driussi17138553Excellent
Jon Gallagher31126831Fair
Jared Stroud30117514Below expectations
Rodney Redes3173501Did not deliver
Sebastian Berhalter3366300Did not deliver
Manny Perez1437400Did not deliver
Kekuta Manneh2735600Did not deliver
Danny Hoesen631000Did not deliver
Orrin McKinze Gaines II.1021610Below expectations
Ben Sweat29300Did not deliver
Andrew Tarbell349000Did not deliver
Rick1000Did not deliver
Aaron Schoenfeld0000Did not deliver
Ulises Segura0000Did not deliver

CF Montreal (9 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Djordje Mihailović342815413Excellent
Kamal Miller27237410Good
Joaquín Torres34190745Fair
Aljaž Struna21143410Below expectations
Bjorn Johnsen3391420Did not deliver
Ahmed Hamdi2490420Fair
Sebastian Breza2572000Did not deliver
Erik Hurtado728301Fair
Matko Miljevic *914910Investment

Chicago Fire (4 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Nnamdi Chinonso Offor34133412Good
Federico Navarro1298610Fair
Jhon Espinoza3483201Did not deliver
Stanislav Ivanov1853401Did not deliver

Colorado Rapids (5 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Michael Barrios35212085Excellent
Mark-Anthony Kaye17118711Fair
Lucas Esteves1693110Below expectations
Steven Beitashour2359301Did not deliver
Rick1000Did not deliver

Columbus Crew (12 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Marlon Hairston23130601Fair
Liam Fraser24115700Below expectations
Saad Abdul-Salaam3396000Did not deliver
Alexandru Mățan3383400Did not deliver
Bradley Wright-Phillips2870110Did not deliver
Kevin Molino1158810Fair
Steven Moreira853702Fair
Evan Bush3336000Did not deliver
Erik Hurtado1530500Did not deliver
Perry Kitchen721600Did not deliver
Eric Dick2000Did not deliver
Matt Lampson4000Did not deliver

DC United (9 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Andy Najar27194613Good
Tony Alfaro33187811Below expectations
Drew Skundrich22115701Below expectations
Brendan Hines-Ike15105310Below expectations
Nigel Robertha1895341Fair
Jon Kempin3489400Did not deliver
Adrien Perez1987702Fair
Ramón Ábila1224030Fair
Kimarni Smith59900Did not deliver

FC Cincinnati (14 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Brenner33282581Excellent
Luciano Acosta31273678Excellent
Geoff Cameron28238803Good
Exon Gustavo Vallecilla26200420Fair
Ronald Matarrita22199424Excellent
Kenneth Vermeer28169500Did not deliver
Isaac Atanga29105612Below expectations
Edgar Castillo3099710Did not deliver
Tyler Blackett1179410Fair
Florian Valot1333200Did not deliver
Chris Duvall89600Did not deliver
Cody Cropper49200Did not deliver
Benjamin Lundt3000Did not deliver
Benjamin Mines8000Did not deliver

FC Dallas (6 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Jader Obrian34219593Excellent
José Antonio Martinez Gil24150300Did not deliver
Facundo Quignon21134100Below expectations
Szabolcs Schön2595606Fair
Freddy Vargas2453700Did not deliver
Rick2000Did not deliver

Houston Dynamo (10 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Tim Parker34307000Good
Fafà Picault312473114Excellent
Maximiliano Urruti30225571Excellent
Joe Corona33174401Fair
Teenage Hadebe17149601Fair
Griffin Dorsey21149623Good
Derrick Jones30114501Did not deliver
Tyler Pasher1984442Fair
Adalberto Carrasquilla1056110Fair
Corey Baird736300Below expectations

Inter Miami (10 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Gregore29249303Good
Nick Marsman22194300Good
Kelvin Leerdam31173500Below expectations
Indiana Vassilev2384030Fair
Ryan Shawcross1383500Did not deliver
Kieran Gibbs1270110Fair
Joevin Jones1053800Below expectations
Joshua Penn72400Did not deliver
Ventura Alvarado52000Did not deliver
Patrick Seagrist0000Did not deliver

Los Angeles FC (10 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Moon-hwan Kim30179211Fair
Marco Farfan34176800Below expectations
Cristian Arango171405142Excellent
Raheem Edwards33138101Below expectations
Corey Baird1676832Fair
Jamal Blackman1072500Did not deliver
Sebastien Ibeagha1666800Did not deliver
Daniel Crisostomo1839900Did not deliver
Cal Jennings1512700Did not deliver
Gregory Ranjitsingh1000Did not deliver

Los Angeles Galaxy (13 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Jonathan Bond33280300Fair
Samuel Grandsir34209133Good
Kevin Cabral29201452Good
Rayan Raveloson23193850Good
Jorge Villafaña24171000Below expectations
Derrick Williams21167602Fair
Víctor Vázquez30163235Good
Sega Coulibaly21143000Below expectations
Niko Hämäläinen15114600Below expectations
Dejan Joveljić1672122Fair
Oniel Fisher2549600Did not deliver
Augustine Williams109200Did not deliver
Danilo Acosta166100Did not deliver

Minnesota United FC (10 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Wil Trapp33282111Good
Adrien Hunou29180371Good
Franco Fragapane20163969Excellent
D.J. Taylor2763000Did not deliver
Jukka Raitala2954800Did not deliver
Niko Hansen2246411Did not deliver
Ramón Ábila1126720Fair
Juan Agudelo2225500Did not deliver
Fanendo Adi1520810Did not deliver
Rick1000Did not deliver

Nashville SC (6 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Charles Sapong342315125Excellent
Aké Arnaud Loba2240911Below expectations
Dylan Nealis1814901Did not deliver
Irakoze Donasiyano52700Did not deliver
Rodrigo Piñeiro *41000Investment
Bryan Meredith35000Did not deliver

New England Revolution (9 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Arnór Traustason30148725Good
Maciel22125500Did not deliver
Wilfrid Kaptoum3190611Below expectations
Jonathan Bell2381812Did not deliver
Christian Mafla2153100Did not deliver
A.J. DeLaGarza3451600Did not deliver
Emmanuel Boateng2638323Below expectations
Rick11500Did not deliver
Earl Edwards Jr.12000Did not deliver

New York City FC (7 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Alfredo Morales30199404Good
Malte Amundsen35155813Fair
Santiago Rodríguez24111630Fair
Thiago Andrade2794441Below expectations
Talles Magno2349030Below expectations
Chris Gloster168800Did not deliver
Rick1000Did not deliver

New York Red Bulls (10 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Carlos Coronel33299400Good
Fábio Gomes29214976Excellent
Patryk Klimala28206886Excellent
Tom Edwards30197002Fair
Andrew Gutman25176021Fair
Andres Reyes22134020Below expectations
Frankie Amaya3186211Below expectations
Youba Diarra1212700Did not deliver
Cameron Harper2410600Did not deliver
Rick21800Did not deliver

Orlando City SC (5 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Sylvester van de Water33101032Fair
Emmanuel Más2179301Did not deliver
Brandon Austin1537400Did not deliver
Alexandre Pato813800Did not deliver
Derek Dodson *0000Investment

Philadelphia Union (6 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Leon Flach35275911Good
Stuart Findlay3348100Did not deliver
Alvas Powell1231300Did not deliver
Jesus Bueno *126000Investment
Davó *102300Investment
Gregory Ranjitsingh2000Did not deliver

Portland Timbers (6 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Josecarlos van Rankin36274903Good
Claudio Bravo26232602Good
George Fochive30104420Below expectations
Santiago Moreno1750112Fair
Logan Ketterer218000Did not deliver
Ismaila Jome11100Did not deliver

Real Salt Lake (6 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Rubio Rubin36236985Excellent
Andrew Brody20127702Fair
Anderson Julio35112591Fair
Jonathan Menéndez2496813Below expectations
Bobby Wood2069231Fair
Toni Datković1559200Did not deliver

San Jose Earthquakes (6 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Eric Remedi30238300Fair
Javier López322234123Excellent
Nathan21174020Good
Luciano Abecasis27121102Below expectations
Benjamin Kikanovic2380941Fair
Jeremy Ebobisse1175911Fair

Seattle Sounders (8 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Kelyn Rowe34222311Good
Fredy Montero33151273Good
Stefan Cleveland31136700Did not deliver
Nicolas Benezet1366531Fair
Spencer Richey2818000Did not deliver
Leo Chu *1215511Investment
Samuel Adeniran *26500Investment
Alex Villanueva21700Did not deliver

Sporting Kansas City (4 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Rémi Walter30209611Good
Nicolas Isimat-Mirin18113610Below expectations
José Mauri1360611Below expectations
Wilson Harris3518800Did not deliver

Toronto FC (5 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Kemar Lawrence25194110Fair
Yeferson Soteldo24175436Excellent
Dominic Dwyer1651301Below expectations
Jordan Perruzza1414410Did not deliver
Rick29001Did not deliver

Vancouver Whitecaps (6 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Déiber Caicedo34230955Excellent
Brian White282038125Excellent
Ryan Gauld19141445Excellent
Florian Jungwirth18118610Below expectations
Bruno Gaspar2499411Did not deliver
Caio Alexandre1697101Fair
Signings Report · Major League Soccer 2021 · January 3, 2022