For some of you, the stretch run of the MLS season brings hope. The playoffs lie ahead, after all. Then comes a chance to reinforce an already good squad in the winter. For others of you, this portion of the season is more about enduring than enjoying. Your team stinks, the summer transfer window didn’t fix everything, and you’re stuck counting down the days until an offseason reload.
Wherever you fall, I’m here to help. With the latest batch of MLS roster profiles dropping earlier on today, we can look ahead to this offseason’s free agent class.
Now, free agency in MLS comes with stipulations — you have to have played in four MLS seasons and be at least 24. True stars don’t tend to move in free agency, unless you accidentally forget to trigger a contract option on, and I’m totally picking a name at random here, say, Cristian Espinoza. But make no mistake: there are key players ready to test the market this offseason. And if your team plays their cards right, they can tap into free agency to set themselves up for success.
So, let’s rank the out-of-contract free agents who teams will be calling about this winter.
As a point of order, these rankings include only players currently listed as out of contract at the end of 2026. Players who are out of contract with option year(s) are not included. We can revisit those folks when teams make their end-of-year option decisions later on.
1. Mathias Laborda, DF, Vancouver Whitecaps
If the season ended today, Laborda would be my pick for Defender of the Year. The 27-year-old has started games in every position along the backline for an elite Vancouver Whitecaps team, doesn’t have any glaring weaknesses, and is a major set piece threat. He’ll get paid this offseason.
Potential destination: Columbus Crew
2. Maren Haile-Selassie, FW, Chicago Fire
One of the most underrated players in all of MLS, Haile-Selassie is in the midst of his best season yet for the Fire. He’s started 18 games and posted 12 non-penalty goal contributions, playing everywhere from the No. 10 spot, to striker, to the wing. In his prime at age 27, Haile-Selassie would be useful for every single club in MLS.
