MLS is buying more international players than ever, and that investment has clearly raised the league’s overall quality – but not every signing translates from one league to the next.
Some players adapt immediately, others struggle to make an impact, and in a league with strict roster and budget rules, misses can set clubs back for years.
I’ve noticed the recent trend of English Championship teams buying players from MLS, with the data showing that the physicality of players translates well between leagues. That made me wonder: what leagues are MLS teams buying from the most, and which signings have translated the best? To answer that, I analyzed all permanent transfers over the last three years, from MLS’s 2022 primary transfer window through the 2025 primary transfer window, to identify recruitment patterns and used Goals Added (G+) from American Soccer Analysis to measure on-field performance.
