FC Dallas just pulled off the biggest MLS steal of the year with Lucho Acosta | OneFootball

Lucho Acosta is the newest star of FC Dallas, and his signing is not just a big pickup, it's a milestone for MLS's methodology of transferring players. In a record deal, Dallas landed the 2023 MLS MVP for $5 million guaranteed, with incentives up to $6 million. It's a signing that shows the financial maturation of the league, where clubs can now spend on top players without relying on General Allocation Money (GAM) or other traditional MLS avenues.

Lucho Acosta's impact on FC Dallas

Acosta's transfer is not a matter of another excellent player switching clubs, it's a matter of ambition, rebuild, and the start of something new in Dallas. With the departure of Jesús Ferreira and Paul Arriola now gone, the club were in desperate need for a new creative leader, and Lucho exactly fits the profile. His synergy with Petar Musa, the club-record signing, can be the spark Dallas need in order to contend at the absolute top.

New head coach Eric Quill is familiar with the task of building an offense-minded and competitive team. And who better to lead such a venture than a playmaker with 72 goals and 97 assists in MLS?

FC Dallas sporting director André Zanotta had this to say about the club's expectations: "Lucho Acosta is a dynamic playmaker with an exceptional ability to create scoring chances and dictate the game's tempo."

Dallas didn't only sign a star, they landed the top playmaker on the market in MLS.

Acosta's departure from Cincinnati

FC Cincinnati, meanwhile, is dealing with a combination of appreciation and pressure to replace him. Acosta's exit was not a surprise — he foreshadowed the end of his time the moment Cincinnati made their early MLS Cup Playoffs exit in 2024.

To make matters more complicated, there were rumors of a return to Argentina, with Estudiantes keeping tabs on him. However, the 18-month contract extension he signed complicated any homecoming.

Cincinnati had to make a trade that both did right by the player and provided financial reward. The trade ultimately allowed the club to cash in and find an immediate high-quality replacement.

Is Evander the right replacement for Cincinnati?

Now the million-dollar question is: Who's going to wear the No. 10 jersey in Cincinnati?

All signs point to it being Evander from Portland Timbers. The club is reportedly offering $12 million to sign him, rounding out an attacking trio with Kévin Denkey and Luca Orellano, two of the club's prized 2025 signings.

This isn’t just a reactionary move to losing Acosta, it’s a clear statement that Cincinnati refuses to take a step backward.

Head coach Pat Noonan has already emphasized his commitment to keeping Cincinnati competitive and chasing silverware.

General manager Chris Albright echoed that sentiment: "We want to express our gratitude to Lucho, but we’re also focused on bringing in an elite player to keep our attack strong."

That is, Cincinnati is turning Acosta's departure into a great opportunity to overhaul its roster without giving up competitiveness.

A new era in MLS begins

This deal is one of the first to take full advantage of the MLS rule changes for 2025, where teams can use private funds to negotiate player deals without needing GAM or other league-held funds.

This change of heart would be a game-changer for MLS transfers, as it would enable clubs to have greater financial freedom to bring in talent without unnecessary bureaucracy.

It enabled FC Dallas to pull off one of the signature signings of the season without having to move roster pieces or other league assets.

Provided the trend continues, MLS could just become a more active, aggressive, and competitive internal market, changing the manner in which clubs approach trades and big-money transfers within the league.