The 10 biggest sales in MLS history and how they fared after Thiago Almada sets new record

TEAMtalk takes a look at the biggest sales made by MLS clubs after Thiago Almada completed his exit from Atlanta United for a deal likely to set a new record.

MLS is becoming an ever-improving pathway for talented players with the potential to earn big moves, usually to Europe. Clubs are starting to invest tens of millions of dollars on some of the league’s best products.

Here are the 10 biggest MLS sales – with fees inclusive of add-ons – and how they fared at their next destinations.

10. Brenden Aaronson – $14 million

New Jersey native Brenden Aaronson quickly established himself as one of the most dynamic attacking midfielders in MLS following his breakthrough at Philadelphia Union in 2019.

In January 2021, after he’d been a starter in Philadelphia for less than two full seasons, Red Bull Salzburg forked out $14 million to sign the then-20-year-old who’d scored seven goals in 51 MLS appearances. And the Austrian club quickly made a sizeable profit on the USMNT international, selling him on to Leeds United for £24.7 million 18 months later.

Yet to rediscover his best form since his English switch, Aaronson spent last season on loan with Union Berlin in the Bundesliga, scoring just two goals in 38 games.

9. Gaga Slonina – $15 million

Imposing American goalkeeper Gaga Slonina was just 17 years old when he made his professional debut for Chicago Fire. And it took only 34 MLS appearances to convince Chelsea to fork out a fee potentially rising to $15 million for the 6ft 4ins shot-stopper in the summer of 2022.

The following January, after being loaned back to the Fire for the remainder of the 2022 campaign, he became the youngest goalkeeper in USMNT history when he made his senior international debut in a 2-1 defeat to Serbia.

Still only 20, Slonina is yet to make a first-team appearance for the Blues, although he impressed last season while on loan with Belgian side KAS Eupen.

8. Taty Castellanos – $16.7 million

Signed from Uruguayan side Torque as a teenager in 2018, Taty Castellanos developed into one of the most prolific strikers in MLS across four and a half seasons with New York City FC, scoring 49 goals in 101 games.

After a loan spell with another City Football Group club, Girona, in the 2022-23 season, which saw him score 13 times in 35 La Liga outings, Lazio stumped up $16.7 million to take him to Serie A.

The 25-year-old Argentinian has been less prolific in Italy, however, with just six goals in 46 appearances in his first season at the Stadio Olimpico.

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7. Ricardo Pepi – $17.5 million

USMNT striker Ricardo Pepi made his first-team debut with FC Dallas while on loan at the club during the 2018 season. It wasn’t until the 2021 campaign that the youngster really began to shine, though, with a return of 13 goals from 31 games.

That form earned him a $17.5 million move to the Bundesliga with Augsburg. And while Pepi endured a torrid time in Germany, scoreless in 16 appearances for the club, he bounced back in the Netherlands. He scored 13 goals while on loan with Groningen in 2022-23, then helped PSV to the Eredivisie title last season with nine goals after a $9.8 million move.

6. Pity Martinez – $18 million

Signed from River Plate, Argentinian midfielder Pity Martinez was a marquee arrival for Atlanta United ahead of the 2019 season, with the Five Stripes paying a then-league-record fee of $15.5 million for the reigning South American Footballer of the Year.

Martinez scored five goals and registered nine assists in his first season in MLS, but he was sold to Saudi Pro League club Al-Nassr early in the following campaign, fetching $18 million. After 13 goals and 10 assists in 53 games for Al-Nassr, the 31-year-old returned to River Plate in 2023.

5. Djordje Petrovic – $19.5 million

Not content with having already snapped up one of the best young goalkeepers MLS has produced in recent years with their 2022 signing of Slonina, Chelsea signed Serbia international Djordje Petrovic from New England Revolution for up to $19.5 million last year before his American counterpart had even appeared for the Stamford Bridge club.

Petrovic has, however, featured often for the Blues, playing 23 Premier League games last season and impressing with a towering frame and quick reflexes that have seen the 24-year-old compared to former Chelsea keeper Thibaut Courtois.

=3. Jhon Duran – $22 million

If reports this summer are to be believed, Jhon Duran could become the latest former MLS star to join Chelsea, with the Blues said to be interested in the 20-year-old striker.

The Colombian joined Aston Villa just a year and a half ago, signing for the Midlands club from Chicago Fire in a deal that, with add-ons, could be worth up to $22 million, equal to the second-highest sale in MLS history.

Although his potential is clear, Duran is yet to make a significant impact at Villa Park, with just five Premier League goals from 35 appearances. Villa are said to value the young forward at around £40 million.

=3. Alphonso Davies – $22 million

Although he is one of the most expensive exports in the history of North American soccer, Bayern Munich got a bargain when they signed a teenage Alphonso Davies from the Vancouver Whitecaps in a 2019 deal worth up to $22 million.

The Canadian left-back has established himself as one of the best players in the world in his position across five and a half seasons with the Bundesliga giants, thrilling with his searing pace, accurate delivery from wide and one-v-one defensive ability.

With five league titles and a Champions League triumph already under his belt, the 23-year-old is entering the final year of his Bayern contract and is reportedly a target for Real Madrid this summer.

2. Miguel Almiron – $27 million

An MLS Cup winner with Atlanta United in 2018, Miguel Almiron quickly became one of the most exciting players in US soccer’s top flight following an $8 million move from Argentinian side Lanus in 2016.

The Paraguayan attacking midfielder scored 22 goals and provided 21 assists in 70 appearances for the Five Stripes, earning back-to-back MLS Best XI selections before a league-record $27 million switch to Newcastle United in 2019.

Almiron has gone on to play 209 times for the Magpies, scoring 30 goals and providing 12 assists.

1. Thiago Almada – $30 million

After just two and a half seasons with Atlanta United, Thiago Almada has departed MLS to join Brazilian side Botafogo.

The diminutive Argentinian playmaker became the most expensive signing in MLS history when he joined the Five Stripes from Velez Sarsfield in a $16 million deal in 2022.

And the fee Botafogo have agreed to pay for the World Cup winner – $21 million rising up to $30 million with add-ons – will make him the most expensive outbound transfer in the league’s history too.

However, his stay in Brazil could be brief, since John Textor has confirmed plans to transfer him to Botafogo’s sister club Lyon in 2025.

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