The 16 former Premier League stars currently playing in MLS: Tottenham icon, Liverpool cult hero…
MLS is filled with former Premier League ballers as former stars from Liverpool, Aston Villa and Newcastle United are currently going strong in the United States.
It’s fair to say that in years gone by, MLS has been branded as a retirement home for Europe’s top stars and while this is still applicable in some cases, the league is also teeming with plenty of young upcoming talents.
We’ve taken a closer look at the league and have identified the 16 former Premier League stars that you need to watch out for in MLS this year.
Christian Benteke
The former Crystal Palace forward has been tearing things up since moving to the States. He notched an impressive 14 goals last season and has already been firing on all cylinders this time around.
With a hat-trick against New England Revolution in his latest game, Benteke will fancy himself to be amongst the Golden Boot race this year.
Brad Guzan
Still going strong at 39 years old, Guzan continues to do the business for Atlanta United. The former Aston Villa man was a dependable shot-stopper during his heyday and he’s still got some life left in him yet.
Guzan returned to MLS in 2017 and he’s now just two games shy of making 200 appearances for Atlanta. That’s some going.
Hugo Lloris
The switch to Los Angeles seems to have done Lloris the world of good. He wasn’t getting a sniff during his final days with Tottenham and a fresh start in the United States is exactly what he needed.
The Frenchman impressed on his debut against Seattle Sounders, making six saves and looking composed with his distribution. We’re in no doubt that he’ll soon be a fan favourite.
Maya Yoshida
The former Southampton defender joined LA Galaxy last summer on a one-and-a-half-year contract. He’s firmly established himself as part of the starting XI and still looks sharp considering his age.
Mateusz Klich
We’d be lying if we said we didn’t miss Klich and his shithouse antics at Leeds. A cult hero of the Marcelo Bielsa era, Leeds fans will no doubt still be keeping tabs on the Polish midfielder to this day.
Now playing for DC United, he’s quickly established himself as a key performer for the side. In 2023, he managed to produce 11 goal contributions from midfield with four goals and seven assists.
You just can’t help but love him.
TRY A QUIZ: Can you name every player to appear for Leeds under Marcelo Bielsa?
DeAndre Yedlin
The United States international has hit the jackpot at Inter Miami. He’s gone from sitting on the bench at Newcastle and Galatasaray to now starting alongside the likes of Lionel Messi and Sergio Busquets.
Yedlin was Inter Miami’s club captain before Messi’s arrival, but he’s since stepped into the vice-captain role. Given the stature of both players, Yedlin can’t have many complaints over that.
Teemu Pukki
While Norwich City always struggled to cut the mustard in the Premier League, Pukki himself boasts a solid scoring record in the top flight. A record of 22 goals in 73 Premier League appearances certainly isn’t too shabby.
Aged 33, he’s now doing the business for Minnesota United. Last season he managed to bag 10 goals in just 14 appearances for the MLS side. He’ll no doubt be among their top scorers this season too.
Ashley Westwood
Having racked up 286 Premier League appearances for Aston Villa and Burnley, Westwood is one of the most experienced former Premier League stars playing in MLS.
In January last year, he joined Charlotte FC and quickly established himself as a regular in the starting XI. He also plays alongside one of his former Burnley teammates at the club too.
Scott Arfield
Having linked up with Westwood at Charlotte FC, Arfield is another former Premier League star within their ranks. Since his arrival last summer, he’s often been used as an impact substitute.
Luis Suarez
He may no longer be at the very peak of his powers, but Suarez still knows how to find the back of the net. Last season for Gremio he managed to score 26 goals while also providing an impressive 17 assists.
Having now reunited with Messi, Busquets and Jordi Alba at Inter Miami, we can’t wait to see what this season has in store for Tata Martino’s side.
It’s early days, but the Barcelona chemistry is already starting to bubble.
READ: Messi & Suarez have melted our brains – Inter Miami are slowly morphing into prime Barca
Xherdan Shaqiri
The Swiss winger might just have one of the most unique career paths in football history. From stints with Bayern Munich and Inter Milan to Stoke City and Liverpool, there’s rarely been a dull moment during his career.
Now playing out his later years in MLS for Chicago Fire, you’ll be pleased to know that he is still scoring worldies on the regular.
Victor Wanyama
Since leaving the Premier League behind in 2020, Wanyama has established himself as a key performer for CF Montreal. He’s already racked up 118 appearances for the club which was more than he managed at Tottenham, Southampton or Celtic.
Cucho Hernandez
The Colombian forward spent five years on the books at Watford, although he spent the majority of his time out on loan. In total, he managed 25 Premier League appearances and scored five goals in that time.
Hernandez was highly rated in his younger years and was picked up by Columbus Crew in 2022 in a deal worth $10million. He’s since scored 31 goals in 50 outings for the MLS club.
Bryan Oviedo
The former Everton and Sunderland defender now plays for Real Salt Lake. He managed to make the MLS playoffs last season, but his side ultimately came up short against Houston Dynamo.
Sam Surridge
Surridge managed a total of 26 Premier League appearances, with the bulk of those games coming for Nottingham Forest.
The 25-year-old left the City Ground behind last summer for a fresh challenge with Nashville SC. In 16 appearances for the MLS side, he’s scored six goals so far.
Matty Longstaff
The latest former Premier League man to make the switch to MLS. Longstaff has had a tough time with injuries of late, but he seems to have landed on his feet with a two-year deal at Toronto FC.
Being just 23 years old, the former Newcastle midfielder still has the best years of his career ahead of him.
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