Transfer Grades: How your team did in the summer window
MLS teams played their cards closer to the vest this summer than I expected, and I'm still not 100% sure why that is
Just like that, the MLS Secondary Transfer Window is closed and the 2026 playoffs are barreling towards us.
Below we’re going to tackle how all 30 teams – several of whom went big, several of whom did basically nothing – conducted their business business.
Note that free agent signings can still be made until October 9, which is the Roster Freeze Date. There will be a couple of arrivals between now and then. There’s always a few stragglers.
The big moves, though, are done. So, let’s dive in:
Atlanta United: C+
• Biggest move: Loaned out legendary bust Emmanuel Latte Lath and used the open DP slot to spend a reported $18 million to bring in Swiss international striker Breel Embolo.
Good ambition with the Embolo signing, but I'm still kind of surprised there were no outright buyouts. Miguel Almirón has actually been pretty good, but Aleksey Miranchuk's a pure luxury player who doesn't provide enough end-product to justify carrying him. Or a guy like Steven Alzate, who is just not an MLS-caliber player but makes $1.4m per year.
Still, they did try to rebuild the defense, and Giuliano Galoppo is the exact kind of flier you want to take – a quality player who's gotten lost in the shuffle, but could rediscover himself in the right situation – so they're a better team than they were two months ago.
But they're still pretty bad.
