A closer look at Robinson, Kreilach and the rest of the major MLS moves so far

By Justin Ruderman and Favian Renkel

The 2023 MLS offseason is already in full swing with free agency, trades, and transfers shaking up the league on a daily basis.

In our new series, staff writers Justin Ruderman and Favian Renkel will continue to break down all the biggest moves in detail as the offseason unfolds and moves are officially announced.

Between Miles Robinson’s stay in MLS to Zack Steffen’s return, there will be no shortage of talent in 2024:

Here is a closer look at five of the biggest moves to far this offseason:

Miles Robinson – FC Cincinnati

Miles Robinson has inked a deal with FC Cincinnati, extending through the 2024 season with an option for 2025. This signing marks the end of the chase for one of the most sought-after free agents in 2024 MLS Free Agency. Speculation had been rife ever since leaked images showed TQL Stadium prominently featuring Robinson’s name, suggesting Cincinnati was leading the race to sign the USMNT defender.

At 26-years-old, many speculated that Robinson would move to Europe, as it seemed like a now-or-never moment for him to establish himself in a European league. However, in joining FC Cincinnati, he reunites with USMNT teammate Matt Miazga, forming a top force in the East. This signing positions FC Cincy as a significant contender in a conference that already features talent-rich teams like Leo Messi’s Inter Miami and reigning MLS Champions, Columbus Crew.

FC Cincinnati GM Chris Albright expressed his enthusiasm about the new addition from Arlington, Massachusetts, saying, “He is an elite defender with a dynamic skillset who already has an incredible amount of MLS and international experience. His personality and character are an immediate addition to our locker room and we’d like to welcome him to FC Cincinnati.”

In the 2023 MLS season, Robinson was a starter in 26 out of his 27 appearances, achieving a personal best with two goals and one assist. Additionally, he was a consistent presence in the starting lineup for all three of Atlanta’s matches in the 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs.

Robinson seamlessly fills the vacancy left by Yerson Mosquera, who returned to Wolverhampton Wanderers in the English Premier League following the conclusion of his loan. Miazga and Robinson last played together in the 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup last summer under B.J. Callaghan, performances that possibly sparked the interest about the potential of this duo playing together at TQL Stadium. 

FC Cincinnati aimed to strengthen their lineup and add another leader in the locker room and have now achieved this with a single strategic move. Their lack of depth in the defensive line during the playoffs proved costly, leading to the concession of three-consecutive goals and allowing the Columbus Crew to advance to MLS Cup. Equally necessary was their dire need for an experienced leader in the backline, especially after Miazga’s ill-advised decision to enter the referee’s room for a post-match chat following the win over the New York Red Bulls.

Under Pat Noonan’s guidance, Robinson and Lucho Acosta are poised to have this team performing at its peak. With the potential retention of talents like Alvaro Barreal and Santiago Arias, who are both above-average MLS players, this team could boast the best defense in the MLS. Additionally, with Roman Celentano coming off a MLS Goalkeeper of the Year nomination, every player in this defense has their own accolades and awards, both within and outside the MLS.

His first chance to showcase the capabilities of Ohio’s Blue and Orange team will be on February 22. FC Cincinnati is scheduled to face Jamaica’s Cavalier F.C. in the first round of the 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup. 

Damir Kreilach – Whitecaps

The Vancouver Whitecaps wasted no time in free agency, announcing the signing of experienced free agent midfielder Damir Kreilach. The Croatian international joined the club on a two-year contract through 2025. 

With a guaranteed salary of $1,650,000.00 last season, the 34-year-old will be making less than Designated Player money over these next two seasons. 

“We are very pleased to welcome Damir and his family to our club and city,” Whitecaps GM Axel Schuster said. “Everybody in MLS knows what Damir brings to the table. He is an experienced player, a competitor, and a leader. He is driven to help bring success to Vancouver.”

Only two years removed from an MLS All-Star game selection, Kreilach should have much to offer this young squad. The Whitecaps are currently the fifth youngest team last year according to Transfermarkt, with an average age of 25.4 years. Damir’s arrival instantly adds a veteran presence to the squad, bringing with him a total of 56 goals and 25 assists since joining MLS in 2018.

“I’m very happy and excited to take on this new challenge and be a part of Vancouver Whitecaps FC,” Kreilach said. “There is a lot of work ahead, and I couldn’t be more grateful for the opportunity. I’m looking forward to meeting my new teammates, coaches, staff, and all the supporters. I can’t wait to get started!”

The Croatian midfielder’s signing is strategic, aimed at providing a calming presence off the bench during crucial moments. With a busier schedule expected for Vancouver this season, Kreilach’s addition offers vital cover, allowing for Ryan Gauld to rest more frequently. Gauld, who logged the third-most minutes for the Whitecaps last year, could see reduced playing time now that Kreilach is part of the roster. Head coach Vanni Sartini now has a trusted option to maintain team performance when his star player is off the field. 

Kreilach and his teammates will face their first major test on February 7th, when Liga MX finalists Tigres visit BC Place in Champions Cup action.

Hugo Lloris – LAFC

18 months ago LAFC brought in two older European superstars in a classic “retirement league” move. At least that’s what many said at the time. Gareth Bale ended up scoring a last-gasp equalizer in the 2022 MLS Cup to save the Black and Gold, who went on to win in penalties. He then retired. Giorgio Chiellini spent another year, leading LAFC from the back to another MLS Cup and a Concacaf Champions League final. He then retired.

The acquisition of French goalkeeper Hugo Lloris on a free transfer from Tottenham Hotspur seems in line with that same successful strategy. Lloris may not have the illustrious club careers of either Bale or Chiellini (in fact, he’s never won a club trophy in his professional career), but he has something neither one of them does – a World Cup trophy. 

The 37-year-old goalkeeper is the most capped player in France’s history with 145 appearances under his belt. He also spent the last 11 seasons in North London making 361 Premier League appearances (444 total) for Spurs. He made 25 appearances for the club last season but has been frozen out by new manager Ange Postecoglou.

There’s no doubt that Lloris isn’t the same keeper he was a few years ago – during which he was one of the best in the world – but he still has a lot left in the tank. His age would be a much larger concern for an outfield position but as a goalkeeper he can easily play until 40 years old if he chooses.

In accordance with that idea, Lloris has signed a one-year contract with options to extend through 2026. Like Bale and Chiellini, Lloris will also be taking a massive 95% pay cut to move to America. For close to one decade, he has made £100,000 per week or about $6.6m annually in England which will drop to $350,000 at LAFC. It took less than a month for Lloris to earn his annual LAFC salary while at Spurs.

The Frenchman joins an LAFC team that only had one goalkeeper on the first-team roster in Mexican youth international Abraham Romero, who has never made an MLS appearance. Both starter Maxime Crépeau and backup John McCarthy (next chapter of our written series) became free agents this offseason, leaving LAFC with a need to re-sign them or find a replacement. Despite Crépeau being one of the best goalkeepers in MLS, they’ve understandably opted for the latter.

Lloris is not only talented with a lot of experience but he’s a great leader as well – potential captain material if LAFC should need it. Since being appointed in 2015, Lloris remained Spurs club captain through last season. He’s an old-school leader who will shout at his teammate for failing to track back (as he infamously did to Son Heung-min), which may not always come across nicely but is purposeful in intent and usually effective. For France, he is one of only four players in history to have captained his country for at least 40 matches.

LAFC will be hoping this leadership, along with experience, and of course, talent shine through for Lloris in the way it has for Roman Bürki in St. Louis. The Swiss’ acquisition was criticized, as has the Frenchman’s with both coming to MLS during similar moments in their career. Should the Black and Gold see a similar impact as they hope, they’ll be ecstatic to get him at the “Los Angeles discount” – a concept that may only apply to athlete’s contracts.

Tyler Boyd – Nashville SC

As the newly appointed LA Galaxy General Manager, Will Kuntz made his first major splash of the offseason in December.

American winger Tyler Boyd was traded to Nashville SC for two international spots (one in 2024 and 2025), $150,000 in General Allocation Money (GAM) split evenly between 2024 and 2025, plus an additional $625,000 in conditional GAM if Boyd meets certain performance metrics in Nashville.

Last season in LA, Boyd’s performance metrics were impressive. Despite earning a meager $350,000 in his lone season for the Galaxy, Boyd equaled superstar Riqui Puig for the most direct goal contributions on the team (seven goals, four assists each), including scoring a goal in 75% of El Trafico rivalry matches. Boyd was a cheap option who produced memorable goals in the biggest moments. For comparison, the Spanish midfield maestro brought in $1,732,500 in guaranteed compensation as a designated player (DP) in 2023 and was selected as an MLS All-Star. 

However, when Boyd asked for a raise, the Galaxy decided to trade him.

“I want to make it very clear that I didn’t ask for the world,” Boyd wrote in a farewell post on Instagram, “just to be valued and respected.” While the Galaxy appreciated his contributions, it turns out Nashville SC valued him more. 

The relatively low price for Boyd surprised many people but for a player they signed on a free transfer, it’s all profit for the Galaxy. After a disastrous season despite funding the second-highest payroll in MLS, Kuntz wanted to create roster flexibility and he’s cashing in on Boyd’s stellar first season to make it happen. The heavy performance incentives indicate that Kuntz still has confidence in Boyd’s ability to impact games in MLS but has bigger and better plans for his attacking positions with two DP slots open. That is likely the purpose behind acquiring extra international spots which the Galaxy values at about $125,000 based on their sale of an international spot to Inter Miami a few months ago. On that basis, the Galaxy could bring in over $1m in overall compensation for Boyd should his performance metrics be met – an analysis that paints the trade in a better light for Galaxy than the minimal $150,000 initial fee. 

For Nashville, this move is low risk, high reward, and therefore a no-brainer. Since the club’s inception, Gary Smith’s squad have been made up of primarily domestic players, forgoing a significant need for international spots. Adeptly, General Manager Mike Jacobs has repeatedly traded away international spots to teams who value them, such as the Galaxy, for commodities they may not value as highly, such as Tyler Boyd. In that sense, it’s a win-win. Further, Nashville being so willing to part with international spots at little personal expense makes an incentives-based trade ideal. 

Should Boyd unexpectedly underperform, Nashville hasn’t lost much. Whereas, should he contribute as expected, they’ll only be paying for what they get – and likely under the true value at that.

Zack Steffen – Rapids

Zack is back! After leaving MLS in 2019 in a $7 million move from the Columbus Crew to Manchester City, Zack Steffen is reportedly returning to America as a member of the Colorado Rapids.

Steffen has reportedly signed a three-year contract with an option for a fourth as he becomes the latest USMNT goalkeeper for the Rapids, following in the footsteps of legend Tim Howard. The Pennsylvania native will not be a designated player either for the club, making this a great bit of business by Colorado.

While with the Crew, Steffen was one of the best goalkeepers in the league, winning the 2018 MLS Goalkeeper of the Year award to prove it. That, along with his impressive distribution skills, led Man City to acquire the American as a backup to Ederson. At this time, Steffen was widely considered the USMNT first-choice goalkeeper.

Unfortunately, Steffen was never able to find his footing in Manchester, playing a total of 21 games for the club – none more exemplary than his last City match, an FA Cup semifinal disasterclass against Liverpool which convinced Pep Guardiola to replace him. The American goalkeeper also spent loan spells in Germany with Fortuna Düsseldorf (18 games) upon signing for City and in the EFL Championship with Middlesbrough (45 games) before departing. He held onto his starting position at Middlesbrough (which he couldn’t at Düsseldorf) but didn’t impress enough for the Championship side to be interested in a permanent move.

Upon the end of his loan in June, Steffen was prepared to leave Man City but was forced to wait as he underwent knee surgery to resolve recurring knee issues. Now, he is back healthy and returning to MLS. 

While Steffen’s former team is currently the reigning MLS champion, Colorado was the second-worst team in the league last season and the worst in the Western Conference. Steffen is the first major signing in their rebuild under newly appointed Head Coach Chris Armas which began with the free agent signing of Omir Fernandez.

In 2023, the Rapids split goalkeeping time with Marko Ilic taking the reigns from William Yarbrough in the latter stages of the season. Neither was particularly impressive. In his 20 starts, Yarbrough conceded 25 goals and kept seven clean sheets. Those stats aren’t as bad as the eye test would suggest he was, but Yarbrough is an old-school keeper who doesn’t have the distribution skills necessary in the modern game.

He struggles with the ball at his feet. Consequently, Colorado traded Yarbrough’s rights to the San Jose Earthquakes after the addition of Steffen. Ilic, the 25-year-old Serbian who will presumably back up Steffen in 2024, conceded 28 goals in his 13 starts in 2023, keeping two clean sheets. He is more of a developmental project and will now have the time to do so with Steffen as the club’s #1.

The USMNT keeper will undoubtedly be a major improvement in the goalkeeping department for the Rapids. The extent to which he will do so remains the debate.

In the past, Steffen has shown the ability to be one of the best keepers in the league. However, MLS goalkeeping has improved since he left with signings such as Roman Bürki and Hugo Lloris. Compounding the increased competition, Steffen has stagnated, and arguably regressed. When he left MLS at 24, he was the USMNT #1 becoming the backup GK for arguably the best team in world football. Now at 28, he returns to MLS after an up-and-down spell in Europe with his USMNT involvement in question. At least he brought back a couple of Premier League winners’ medals.

The unsteady nature of European football and the international transfer market proved difficult for Steffen, therefore we haven’t seen it recently, but Steffen’s quality is still there. Coming into a stable situation with the backing of his new club is exactly what Steffen needs to hopefully get back to his best. A confident Steffen is the best Steffen. We should see that in Colorado.