Seven of the best MLS signings from final week of the transfer window: Premier League veteran, Bundesliga legend…

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Tim Ream, Marco Reus and Diogo Goncalves

Tim Ream, Marco Reus and Diogo Goncalves have all moved to the MLS this summer

As the MLS summer transfer window drew to a close on Wednesday night, several clubs from around the league scrambled to get deals across the line.

From long-expected big-name additions to lesser-hailed arrivals who could make a significant impact in the race for play-off contention, the final days of the window saw a host of eye-catching transfers get finalised.

Here are seven standout deals from the last week of the MLS summer transfer window.

Marco Reus – Los Angeles Galaxy

Alongside Olivier Giroud’s switch to cross-city rivals Los Angeles FC, Marco Reus’ arrival at LA Galaxy is the biggest move of the 2024 MLS Summer transfer window.

An acquisition in keeping with such star signings from Europe into US soccer’s top flight as Lionel Messi’s move to Inter Miami last year and the deal that took Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets from Barcelona to the same club, Reus arrives Stateside boasting a pedigree of the highest order.

The 35-year-old enjoyed 12-and-a-half years back with boyhood club Borussia Dortmund before his contract expired at the end of the 2023/24 season.

Although he suffered several major injuries through the peak years of his career, a record of 170 goals and 131 assists in 429 appearances and two Champions League finals appearances represents an enviable resume.

Teaming up with the likes of Riqui Puig, Gabriel Pec, Joseph Paintsil and Dejan Joveljic at Dignity Health Sports Park, the Galaxy will be hoping Reus, who has signed as a free agent, can lead them to a record-extending sixth MLS Cup triumph.

Diogo Goncalves – Real Salt Lake

A strong contender for the top seed in the Western Conference this season, Real Salt Lake have moved to boost their chances of landing the top spot ahead of the two LA clubs with the ambitious acquisition of Portuguese creator Diogo Goncalves.

The 27-year-old – who can play on either flank or centrally as a No.10 – began his career with Benfica, but it was only after a 2022 move to FC Copenhagen in the Danish Superliga that he showed his full potential.

He registered 29 goal contributions in 57 appearances in all competitions, including a goal and an assist in a 4-3 win over Manchester United in the Champions League in 2023/24.

With leading scorer and MVP contender Chicho Arango on top form for RSL this term, the addition of Goncalves upgrades what was already one of the most frightening frontlines in MLS.

Tim Ream – Charlotte FC

Dean Smith’s Charlotte FC boast the second-best defensive record in MLS so far this season. And the arrival this week of veteran USMNT centre-back Tim Ream should serve only to further reinforce the Crown’s rear guard.

The 36-year-old centre-back spent the best part of a decade with Fulham, racking up 312 appearances for the Cottagers.

But he fell from favour over the second half of last season, with an appearance in the last Premier League game of the campaign his first outing since February.

A move back to MLS – and, in particular, a switch to Charlotte – had been long mooted for Ream after the 2023/24 Premier League season came to a close. The deal was finally rubber-stamped a week before the MLS summer deadline.

Felipe Carballo – New York Red Bulls

With the loan signing of Carballo, the New York Red Bulls made a late-in-the-window move to add another high-calibre player to a midfield that already included MLS standouts Lewis Morgan and Emil Forsberg.

The 27-year-old Uruguay international has joined on loan from Brazilian side Gremio – for whom he scored 26 goals and registered 14 assists across 263 appearances – with the Red Bulls holding an option to make the deal permanent.

And NYRB are hopeful that the South American can hit the ground running upon his arrival in the Big Apple to push the club into play-off contention.

“Felipe has a proven track record of success, and we are very excited to add such an experienced player to our roster,” head of sport Jochen Schneider said.

“We are looking forward to him getting on the pitch at Red Bull Arena and helping us continue our push to the post-season.”

Pep Biel – Charlotte FC

While Charlotte lay claim to one of the stingiest defences in MLS this season, their attacking output leaves a lot to be desired.

With just 30 goals scored from 25 games so far this term, it is a testament to the North Carolina club’s ability to eke out results that they reside as high as sixth in the East.

But they will be hoping the arrival of Pep Biel can add some bite to their frontline. The versatile attacking midfielder has joined on loan for the remainder of the season from Greek side Olympiacos.

The 27-year-old – who can play anywhere across the second line of attack – enjoyed a prolific spell with Copenhagen before moving to Olympiacos in 2022, where he’d go on to score 12 goals and provide eight assists in 59 games.

A loan spell in the Bundesliga with Augsburg last season was less fruitful, with no goals from 11 league appearances, but Biel will be aiming to rediscover his best form in the States.

Dominik Marczuk – Real Salt Lake

The signing of Goncalves is not the only move Real Salt Lake made in the closing hours of the transfer window to augment their already-fearsome frontline. The Utah club have also added exciting Polish winger Dominik Marczuk.

The 20-year-old was named the Ekstarklasa Young Player of the Year last season for his part in helping Jagiellonia Bialystok claim the Polish top-flight title, scoring seven goals and providing 14 assists in 39 league and cup games.

A right winger who can also fill in at right-back, Marczuk has risen rapidly from humble beginnings in the fourth tier of Polish football. RSL activated a €1.5million release clause in his Jagiellonia to take him to MLS.

Nicholas Gioacchini – FC Cincinnati

Still only 25 years old, Gioacchini added another stop to his nomadic career by signing for FC Cincinnati on loan from Italian side Como in the final hours of the MLS summer transfer window.

The Kansas City native initially came through the ranks at Paris FC in France before spells with Caen, Montpellier, Orlando City and St. Louis City.

Gioacchini, a 6ft tall forward who can play as a striker or a right winger, scored 10 goals for St. Louis in the 2023 MLS season, earning a switch to Como, then of Serie B, back in January of this year.

But while Como won promotion to the Italian top flight last term, he failed to score in his nine league appearances and was dropped to the bench at the tail end of the campaign.

The eight-cap USMNT international now heads back to MLS in the hope of recapturing the career-best form he showed in St. Louis. It is notable, however, that the loan deal Cincinnati have struck with Como does not include an option to buy the player.

“We’re excited to welcome Niko to Cincinnati,” said Chris Albright, FC Cincinnati’s general manager. “He is an excellent team-mate with high character who will provide a versatile presence on our front line.

“He knows how to compete in our league and is committed to helping us fight for trophies this season. We look forward to him joining our group.”

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