10 MLS players who could move to Europe this summer

3 May 2026 17:00 BST |
9 min read

Major League Soccer has always been more than just a “retirement league,” but this lazy stereotype has never been more wrong than this season.

The 2026 campaign has seen an incredible upsurge of young talent, even while MLS has simultaneously courted some of the world’s biggest names in order to capitalise on the success of Lionel Messi and the upcoming World Cup on home soil.

The MLS academy system, while still flawed, has really kicked into gear in recent years and is beginning to churn out prospect after prospect. For the first two decades of the league’s existence, the acquisition of young, domestic talent mostly took place at the SuperDraft for college players.

However, as the league has grown and building a youth setup has become mandatory for clubs, college graduates have become less and less important, even if they can still provide excellent value for money.

Most of the league’s best young products now come through an academy, with the goal of eventually moving to Europe. This summer, several of MLS’s biggest prospects look poised to head across the pond.

Below, FootballTransfers runs through 10 MLS players who could move to Europe this summer…

Julian Hall (Red Bull New York)

Julian Hall has been one of the most highly rated prospects in US soccer for years. In 2023, he became the youngest debutant in Red Bulls history and (at the time) the second-youngest player ever in MLS when he made his first senior appearance aged 15 years and 190 days.

Fast forward to 2026, and Hall has more than 50 appearances for the New Jersey outfit to his name. That’s despite only turning 18 in March. Even more impressive is the fact that the young striker has noticeably taken his game to another level this season.

For much of his time with the Red Bulls, Hall was purely seen as a finisher. However, his game has become so well-rounded in recent months that it is only a matter of time before Europe’s biggest clubs come calling. It is no secret that they have been following him for some time.

Full disclosure: Hall is the only Red Bulls player we have picked for this article. Adri Mehmeti’s development this season has been equally impressive, but he will likely struggle to secure a move due to his age. He only just turned 17, and Albania, his second nationality, is not an EU country.

Niko Tsakiris (San Jose Earthquakes)

Niko Tsakiris’ leap in quality has arguably been the most impressive in all of MLS. After a disappointing 2025, the Quakes academy graduate had to face serious questions over whether he was even good enough to play in this league.

Now, the question is not “is he good enough?” but rather “what is his ceiling?” The 20-year-old is playing out of his mind right now. He has become the heartbeat of San Jose’s attack with his playmaking ability, producing the most key passes in MLS by a mile.

Tsakiris is the perfect No.10 for Bruce Arena’s record-breaking Quakes, but this has naturally made him attractive to European clubs. If he keeps this up, he could be headed across the Atlantic much sooner than anyone could have expected.

Mateo Silvetti (Inter Miami)

It is easy to forget that Inter Miami’s Mateo Silvetti is still only 20. He became one of the franchise’s main men during their playoff charge to MLS Cup last year, and he has continued to get minutes despite offseason reinforcements and behind-the-scenes turmoil.

The Argentine is able to play in numerous offensive roles and has contributed a fair bit this season. His recent injury could halt his momentum, but it seems to be only a matter of time before he heads to Europe.

Having the Messi seal of approval certainly gives him a good chance of attracting suitors.

David Martinez (LAFC)

Another player who levelled up in the offseason, LAFC winger David Martinez looks almost unrecognisable from 2025. While he did have his moments, he looked more like a raw talent rather than a superstar-in-the-making.

This has changed drastically this season. He is more than holding his own alongside Denis Bouanga and Son Heung-min and has only increased the fear factor of LAFC’s deadly frontline.

Martinez has produced numerous moments of magic this season. After taking the next step in his development, he could soon take the next step in his career.

Diego Luna (Real Salt Lake)

Diego Luna is closing in on 200 appearances in senior football, yet the USMNT star is still only 22. The versatile attacker has shown himself to be a game-changer in MLS in recent seasons.

He started the season injured, but he has looked like he hasn’t missed a beat since his return to full fitness. This has not only made an already-exciting RSL team even more fun to watch, but it is also good news for the US heading into the World Cup.

If Luna can impress on home soil, then it seems quite likely that his next destination will be a club in Europe.

Zavier Gozo (Real Salt Lake)

Zavier Gozo has seemingly come out of nowhere and exploded on the scene at RSL. Originally a winger, Pablo Mastroeni has used the 19-year-old as a wing-back, which has forced him to learn on the job.

He has done so brilliantly. Despite his deeper role, he has not lost any of his attacking potency. On the contrary, it seems that his new position has allowed him to be even more influential and involved in the game.

He is still, by his own admission, learning the ropes defensively, and he also knows that he can still get better with his left foot. However, he has already shown enough to attract the attention of Europe’s biggest clubs.

Barcelona and others are following him with a keen interest – and he knows it. He recently stated that his plan is to move to Europe this summer.

Snyder Brunell (Seattle Sounders)

The Seattle Sounders have made a habit of producing excellent central midfielders. Cristian Roldan, Josh Atencio, Danny Leyva and Obed Vargas have all been polished at Lumen Field in recent years. Now, it is Snyder Brunell’s time to shine.

Heading into 2026, it was obvious that the 19-year-old would get plenty of game time, considering that Leyva and Vargas had been sold to Necaxa and Atletico Madrid, respectively. However, it was not anticipated that he would be a starting-level player almost immediately.

The Sounders signed Minnesota veteran and boyhood fan Hassani Dotson in the offseason, and he surely expected to slot straight into the team. His injury problems, though, presented Brunell with an opportunity, and the teenager seized it.

He is no Obed Vargas (yet), but the energetic midfielder is showing why the Sounders believe that he could reach the same level, or an even higher one, as his predecessor. With a sale to Atleti still fresh in the minds, European clubs are following Brunell and the Sounders with a keen eye.

Peyton Miller (New England Revolution)

After making a handful of appearances in 2024, Peyton Miller really burst onto the scene last season and left a lasting impression. A left-back with an Alphonso Davies-esque attacking drive, the 18-year-old was a revelation for the Revs.

Too young to move to Europe last summer and injured in pre-season, Miller stayed put ahead of the 2026 campaign, and he has once again been very impressive for New England since returning to full fitness.

His decisiveness in front of goal is quite remarkable and unique for a left-back. It would be a major surprise if the teenager were to remain in MLS beyond this summer.

Lucas Herrington (Colorado Rapids)

Transfers from Australia to MLS have become more common in recent years, but it was still a shock when Lucas Harrington decided to trade the Brisbane Roar for the Colorado Rapids.

With all due respect to the Rocky Mountain Cup holders, it seemed simply bizarre that the 18-year-old would move to MLS despite fielding well-publicised interest from some pretty big European teams.

That’s exactly what he did, though, and he has been a revelation. The teenage centre-back is the quintessential modern defender. He is a ridiculously good passer of the ball and is perfect for this Rapids team, which wants to build up from the back at all costs.

The Rapids paid €450,000 to sign the wonderkid, and they will turn a huge profit on him, potentially already this summer.

Manu Duah (San Diego)

While Herrington has been a hugely positive surprise, Manu Duah has perhaps been his negative counterpart. The San Diego centre-back was the hottest defensive property in MLS after a spectacular first season in 2025.

The 20-year-old Ghanaian was the No.1 pick in the SuperDraft, and he fully justified his early selection with an outstanding campaign. It was a surprise that he was not a Defender of the Year finalist.

When it became clear that he would stay with San Diego for 2026, he instantly became the favourite to win the award this time around. However, he perhaps should have just gone out on a high in January.

It hasn’t been an easy season for him so far and indeed San Diego as a whole. They started well, but things unravelled pretty quickly, with Duah certainly playing his part by getting two red cards in the space of just a couple of weeks in mid-March and early April.

If San Diego continue to struggle, he needs to get out in the summer while his value is still high.

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Tom Weber is a multilingual sports writer who specialises in European football as part of his freelance work for FootballTransfers.

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