Major League Soccer Primary Window - Spending exceeds Europe's top 10 leagues

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The Major League Soccer Primary Transfer Window is now officially closed. Delayed because of COVID-19, the primary transfer window ran from March 10 through June 1. Many clubs, however, started making signings before the window officially opened, and as a result, the window ran analog with the winter transfer window of Europe's major leagues. In many ways, it was a historic window with several clubs breaking their record transfers. 

Using the database, Transfermarkt has compared the primary transfer window with Europe's winter transfer window. The numbers are surprising. MLS has outspent all top 10 European leagues this last winter and spring. MLS clubs have spent about $114 million for 59 players this season (free transfers and free loans are not included in this statistic). 

In comparison, the biggest spending league in Europe, the English Premier League, has spent $93 million for 13 players during the January transfer window. The average fees in England were, of course, still more significant. The average cost in England for a new player last winter was $7.1 million—in MLS, the average transfer fee was just $1.9 million. 

Brenner, Talles Magno & Soteldo close gap - Europe's top transfers still ahead

There is also still a gap between the top fees played in Europe and what MLS teams have paid ahead of the 2021 season. But COVID-19 has meant that in some ways, that gap is closing. The five most expensive transfers in Europe this winter were Saïd Benrahma (for $25 million from Brentford to West Ham), Sébastian Haller (for $24.75m from West Ham to Ajax), Amad Diallo (for $23m from Atalanta to Man United), Dominik Szboszlai (for $22m from RB Salzburg to RB Leipzig) and Nicolò Rovella (for $20m from Genoa to Juventus). 

Market Value

S. Benrahma Left Winger

€22.00m

While those sums were nowhere near Europe's top transfers, MLS did manage to break a record this winter. FC Cincinnati paid a club-record $13 million for São Paulo forward Brenner. That transfer was the most expensive transaction between a Brazilian and a club from MLS and the third most expensive signing in league history. New York City FC, in the meantime, paid $8 million for 18-year-old Vasco da Gama talent Talles Magno, the 15th most ever paid by a Major League Soccer club and the third-largest fee for a U19 player in league history—the record is held by Ezequiel Barco. 

Market Value

Brenner Centre-Forward

€8.00m

Other significant transfers also included Yeferson Soteldo from Santos to Toronto FC, Kévin Cabral from Valenciennes to LA Galaxy, and Santiago Sosa from River Plate to Atlanta United. Furthermore, with the secondary window opening in just one month, expect MLS teams to continue spending on players, especially younger players that can still develop.