Silly season is in full swing with Major League Soccer barreling down on both the close of the Secondary Transfer Window and the MLS Cup Playoffs. Even amongst all the talk of needing to shift the calendar to align with traditional European transfer windows, hoards of new talent have washed upon MLS shores already in the summer of ‘25, and we still have a week left to go…

So, here at Hudson River Blue, we’ve pulled together the tastiest transfers to date this window. From the big money splashers to the roster rulebook readers, here are eight transfers that could shake up MLS down the stretch

1. Son Heung-min

Tottenham Hotspur → LAFC, $26 million (MLS Transfer Record)

This is the big one. Like, the really big one. The remarkable transfer that checks every box of a blockbuster deal: Star power, price tag, cultural influence, and a fun tactical question.

In terms of star power, perhaps only two names have Son Heung-min beat in the history of Major League Soccer: Lionel Messi and David Beckham. His stature is among or even beyond those of other huge arrivals like Thierry Henry, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, and Kaká - he has that sort of global profile.

Rightfully so. Over a spectacular decade with Tottenham Hotspur, Son tallied 171 goals and 101 assists across a whopping 454 appearances in all competitions. He departs the 142-year-old English institution as their all-time assist leader, and with a consistency of output rivaled by few in this Premier League era.

Son Heung-min | PL Goals + Assists

From an off-field perspective, the move gets even better for LAFC. Los Angeles is home to the largest Korean population outside of … well… Korea, and Son is the biggest footballing star the nation’s ever produced. He’s not just the captain of the Korean national team, he’s a cultural icon — the sort that transcends traditional sporting fandom into everyday celebrity.

There’s a massive opportunity here for LAFC to tap into new fans found in their local population, just as they did with the signing of Mexican superstar Carlos Vela in their founding season.

Understandably, such a culturally significant and sportingly dominant figure doesn’t come cheap. Son’s reported $26 million fee sets a new high-water mark for MLS, breaking a record set by Emmanuel Latte-Lath’s $22 million move to Atlanta United just six months ago.

As for the fun tactical question: Where does he play? A league-record signing should slot in wherever they please, but that gets more complicated when you already have Denis Bouanga at left wing, Son’s preferred position.

Son’s LAFC debut came in a substitute appearance down the middle, with Bouanga flanking him off the left, perhaps suggesting this is where Steve Churundelo sees Son’s contribution. Given Son’s legs aren’t quite what they used to be – and that Bouanga is still sprinting around like a madman and doing frontflips after every goal – it’s hard to imagine Son unseeding that MPV-level production on the wing.

Instead, we could see Son as a mobile striker, ensuring he’s popping up closer to goal for a higher volume of shots, while leading LAFC’s transitional attack with far more energy than Olivier Giroud ever could. 

This is gonna be fun.

2. Rodrigo De Paul 

Atletico Madrid → Inter Miami, $15 million* 

* Technically it's a loan, and it's unclear when the fee will be paid

If you’re unsure how much MLS has really grown over the past few years, perhaps this transfer is a good measuring stick. Rodrigo De Paul will join Inter Miami for a $15 million* fee that won’t sniff the most expensive move of this window, and he won’t even be a DP upon his arrival.

That last point is a sore subject, though. More on that later.

From a sporting perspective, De Paul is an excellent addition to Miami’s midfield. He offers the legs for which Miami has been desperate, as evidenced by Sergio Busquets’s obvious, albeit sad, inability to keep pace with the basketball games Javier Mascherano has been creating out there. 

Often dubbed “Messi’s Bodyguard,” RDP has tons of experience playing with Messi for the Argentine national team, with whom he has an impressive 78 caps. He offers that bouncer-like defensive presence you’d expect from an Argentine playing under Diego Simeone for the past four seasons, and has also shown an ability to contribute in attack for Miami with a goal and two assists already for his new side.

But, you can’t talk about this transfer without the context of how Miami got it done, because it's… shady.

Had Miami signed De Paul on a permanent transfer initially, he would’ve required a DP contract. Between Messi, Busquets, and Jordi Alba, Miami had no such slots available. The fact that Luis Suarez isn’t on a DP contract, after presumably taking a massive pay cut to play with his old pal Messi, already feels a bit absurd. So, the thought of adding De Paul, who should be a 5th designated player, raised eyebrows from fans league-wide.

To circumvent this, Miami approached this deal as a loan first, with a buy “option” later, and with Atleti picking the majority of De Paul’s salary for the remainder of the 2025 season. The portion of the bill left over for Miami was low enough for De Paul to slip under the DP threshold, ensuring he’ll just occupy a standard Senior Roster slot and an international slot for the rest of 2025.

For MLS to greenlight this, the word “option” is crucial. Had the legal phrasing been “obligation,” this transfer would’ve(or should’ve) been shot down per the league’s rules.

Conveniently, Busquets's DP contract is up following the 2025 season, meaning Miami will have a DP slot open upon the expiry of the loan portion of De Paul’s deal, meaning he can become a DP if Miami triggers the purchase “option” come 2026, which, of course, everyone fully expects them to do.

So, is this totally above board stuff from Miami, who have a documented history of breaching MLS roster rules? Perhaps not. But is it good for the league that players of De Paul’s quality are joining MLS, and bending heaven and earth to get there? Absolutely. 

3. Wessam Abou Ali 

Al Ahly → Columbus Crew, $7.5 million

Six months on from Cucho Hernandez’s $16 million sale to Real Betis, Columbus Crew finally have their new DP man in attack.

They dropped $4.5 million on Daniel Gazdag to help backfill their departed superstar in the primary window. But, just two goal involvements later, it’s fair to say the Hungarian hasn’t worked out the way Wilfried Nancy would’ve hoped thus far. Columbus continue to be good, as all Nancy teams are, but the lack of a true goal scorer has been tangible.

By all accounts, Wessam Abou Ali is that true goal scorer.

The Palestinian joins for $7.5 million from Egyptian giants Al Ahly SC, where he scored an impressive 38 goals in 59 appearances. For those who haven’t been bingeing the Egyptian Premier League, Al Ahly are legit, coming off back-to-back-to-back league titles and a strong showing at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup.

Abou Ali is a proper No 9. He has a big frame, quick feet in tight spaces, good hold-up play, and an ability to score goals in bunches, like we saw with his impressive hat-trick vs FC Porto in the Club World Cup, and the four-spot he put up in his final league game with Al Ahly back in May.

Sitting in 4th Place in the East, Columbus have remained competitive sans Cucho. Abou Ali’s arrival does wonders in raising the Crew’s ceiling as they bear down on the playoffs, adding to the chaos atop the conference.

4. Thomas Müller

Bayern Munich → Vancouver Whitecaps, Free Transfer

Random? Yes. Fun? Also yes. 

Thomas Müller is a walking museum of footballing accolades. He’s Bayern Munich’s all-time appearance leader with 756 (!!!) after making his debut for the German giants back in the Palaeolithic era known as 2008.

Along the way, he racked up 230 goals, 217 assists, 12 Bundesliga titles (a record), 2 UEFA Champions League titles, 6 DFB Pokals, 8 DFB-SuperCups, and a World Cup triumph with Germany in 2014.

The famed “Raumdeuter” (or “Space Interpreter”) has made a living by popping up in the right place at the right time. He’s never been the speedster, nor the trickster, nor the brute — he’s played his way into the German GOAT conversation with his generational attacking mind and sound technique.

That said, that mind and those legs are now 35 years of age. His final season in the Bundesliga produced just one goal and four assists. His new home venue, BC Place, has an artificial turf pitch and is located about as far away from the rest of MLS’s teams as you can be, making away days uniquely difficult.

Given all those circumstances, “gas in the tank” concerns for this move are warranted. But it remains a relatively low-risk move for Jesper Sørensen’s squad, who land the veteran attacker on a free transfer, and a non-DP contract through the end of the 2025 season (he’ll reportedly become a DP in 2026).

Since club ownership put the franchise up for sale last December, Vancouver has gone from a side fearing relocation to the feel-good story of MLS. Between Sørensen’s fluid football and the Whitecaps' scorching-hot early form, the vibe is tangibly different these days in Vancouver. 

Ambitious moves like this for genuine global superstars, while not typically the club’s MO, point to a refreshing change of pace for the ‘Caps. If Brian White stays hot, and they can (somehow) get Ryan Gauld healthy, watch out for the Thomas Müller show in Hollywood North.

The 50 most valuable soccer clubs in the world: 2025 Update

NYCFC is valued at $1 billion, which makes it one of 5 MLS teams to crack the Top 20.

Hudson River BlueOliver Strand

5. Milan Iloski

San Diego SC → FC Nordsjælland → Philadelphia Union, ~$1 million

Frankly, this transfer saga was a mess all around. But, in the end, the Union might sneak away with the steal of the summer in their landing of American center forward Milan Iloski.

You’d be forgiven for not knowing much of this player before this season, whose previous contributions included an impressive career at UCLA, and quiet stints at Real Salt Lake and their development club, Real Monarchs. But, a red-hot couple of seasons at USL Championship side Orange County SC were enough to earn the striker a move to the Danish outfit FC Nordsjælland, where he managed 18 appearances.

Things only got interesting for the 26-year-old journeyman when he joined Nordsjælland’s sister club, San Diego FC, on loan back in April. Coming off the bench for the expansion side, he managed an incredible 10 goals and 1 assist in just 15 appearances, averaging a goal involvement every 45 minutes in SoCal.

Things were going so well that San Diego scrambled to make the deal permanent, only to find that Iloski’s salary expectations and the club’s were miles apart. Seemingly out of nowhere, the negotiations that were supposed to keep the striker around for longer ushered Iloski out the door, with the player and club mutually agreeing to terminate the loan on July 15th.

He wasn’t out of the MLS vortex for very long by the time Philly came calling, with the Union pulling an all-time MLS roster mechanism move to secure Iloski’s signature - one that involved trading GAM to CF Montreal to nab the no. 9 through the first slot in the MLS Waiver Order. FC Nordsjælland, who were sitting around like the rest of us, wondering what the heck was going on in MLS roster rules land, reportedly received about $1m for their trouble and Iloski’s services.

From a Philly perspective, they’re getting a guy for relatively cheap, who’s demonstrated an incredible volume of goalscoring in odd circumstances. He popped off at the NCAA level, at the USL Championship level, and for less than 500 minutes at the MLS level. Bradley Carnell will be hoping those 500 minutes weren’t a fluke.

6. Djordje Milhailovic

Colorado Rapids → Toronto FC, $9 million

This is a proper MLS blockbuster, and one that makes you grateful for the new “cash for player” transfer mechanisms that MLS rolled out earlier this year.

After the spectacular flame-outs of Toronto FC’s recent expensive European imports, perhaps general manager (and former New York City FC centerback) Jason Hernandez was seeking something more tried and true by MLS standards to right the ship. And, if MLS pedigree is what you’re after, Djordje Milhailovic is a solid acquisition. 

The UMSNT-capped attacking midfielder was impressing again in his second season with the Colorado Rapids, where he’ll depart with a very dependable 39 goal involvements through 63 appearances. 

Before his stint with Dutch side AZ Alkmaar playing under now-New York City FC coach Pascal Jansen, he was a centerpiece of Wilfried Nancy’s impressive CF Montreal project that saw the other Eastern Conference Canadian side finish second in the East in 2022. Before that, he impressed as an up-and-coming talent at Chicago Fire, trading out standout academy performances for first-team minutes at just 18 years of age.

It doesn’t seem like this was a guy Colorado wanted to lose — especially not midseason when they’re just two points clear of the Western Conference playoff line. But money talks, and $9 million is loud when you’re the Colorado Rapids. 

For all that’s said about their spending on Italian talents like Sebastian Giovinco, Federico Bernadeschi, and Lorenzo Insigne, perhaps Toronto has slipped under the radar for their affinity for big-name American talents like Michael Bradley, Jozy Altidore, and now Milhailovic.

Contending or Rebuilding: What is NYCFC trying to achieve?

New York City FC tells the fanbase that the goal is to win trophies every year — and that it’s okay to play two-thirds of the season with an unfinished squad.

Hudson River BlueJohn Baney

7. Rob Holding

Crystal Palace → Colorado Rapids, Free Transfer

Wait, Rob Holding is only 29?

The Premier League-tested center back, who debuted at Arsenal back in 2016, joins the Rapids on a free transfer after an odd few years bouncing around Crystal Palace and EFL Championship side Sheffield United. Mikel Arteta phased the English center back out of his plans following the 2022 season, with Holding swapping North London for South after 162 appearances for the Gunners. 

But injury troubles stood in the way of any proper impact at Palace, where he made just one appearance, with the brunt of Holding’s minutes in the last two seasons coming in the Championship on loan with the Blades. Even there, however, he featured just 11 times.

Injuries remain a worry for Holding, but on a free transfer, Colorado might’ve found a steal here as they sought to replace the recently departed Chidozie Awaziem, who they sold for a reported $1.7 million to FC Nantes. 

In the best-case scenario, Holding gets healthy, and Colorado nabbed a Premier League-level center half on the right side of 30 with no down payment. In the worst-case scenario, it’ll still be fun to randomly flip on a Rapids game and go, “Oh yeah, I forgot they had Rob Holding.”

New York City FC Transfer Tracker: All 2025 news and rumors

Your fuego source for 2025 NYCFC transfer news, rumors, and sketchy tweets before the MLS transfer window closes.

Hudson River BlueHudson River Blue Staff

8. Nico Fernández Mercau

Elche → New York City FC, $8.4 million-plus

New York City FC’s big-money, DP attacker arrived at the start of the Secondary Transfer Window after selling their former stalwart, Santi Rodríguez, on the first day of the 2025 MLS regular season for a big $16 million fee.

The Pigeons’ attack struggled without Santi, with seemingly every goal coming from Alonso Martínez or Hannes Wolf — if they had an off night, Pascal Jansen’s chances of victory felt slim to none. Thankfully, it didn’t take long for “Nico” to bring that much-needed spark, providing a peach of an assist in his debut against FC Dallas, and an equally impressive throughball to set up NYCFC’s opener in a Leagues Cup clash with Club León.

But, for a signing that could potentially serve as the highest transfer fee in NYCFC’s young history, fans will be hoping for new levels of production and consistency from the Argentine attacker — perhaps beyond levels he’d hit at Elche, where his best season of output garnered 7 goals and 10 assists. 

Nico’s versatility allows him to line up pretty much anywhere, which can be a double-edged sword, as he’ll always be on the team, but not necessarily honing his craft in a single area. Early lineups from Jansen indicate a hesitancy to drop 38-year-old Maxi Moralez, who can realistically only lineup centrally these days. This suggests, at least for now, Santi’s long-term replacement at the No 10 will be utilized mostly as a winger in his debut season.

With NYCFC sitting two points above the playoff line in the East, more mazy dribbles, feathered throughballs, and, of course, an eventual goal, will be sorely needed from Fernández Mercau.