Austin FC to Complete Club-Record Transfer for USMNT Striker, per Report | OneFootball

Austin FC are on the verge of completing a club-record deal for the second time in one year, but this time, the Western Conference side has its sights set on Brandon Vázquez.

The striker is set to depart CF Monterrey to return to Major League Soccer as one of Austin's Designated Players for a fee of $10 million, per GiveMeSport's Tom Bogert. Vázquez is coming off a 14-goal haul for the Liga MX side in 2024.

The 26-year-old is no stranger to MLS. Vázquez enjoyed a two-year stint with Atlanta United in which he helped the club win the Supporters' Shield. He then joined FC Cincinnati in 2019 where he scored 42 goals and was named an MLS All-Star in 2022.

Vázquez's reported deal with Austin comes just months after the team signed Osman Bukari for a then-club record of $7 million. The Ghana international winger signed a contract through the 2027 MLS season and occupies a Designated Player roster spot.

The two new attackers will bring some much-needed goalscoring prowess to Austin. The team only managed to score 39 goals in the 2024 MLS season, the lowest in the Western Conference. They recorded a 10th place finish in the Western Conference standings after securing just 11 wins in 34 matches.

A resurgence for Vázquez in MLS could not only help Austin bounce back from a rather underwhelming season, but could also help the striker earn more minutes on Mauricio Pochettino's U.S. men's national team. Vázquez only featured off the bench in both legs of the Concacaf Nations League quarterfinals against Jamaica.

Vázquez enters 2025 with 11 appearances and four goals for the USMNT. A successful stint at Austin could pave the way for a greater role in the Stars and Stripes' Concacaf Nations League title defense.