The 10 MLS stars who have lost the most market value in 2024
Inter Miami superstar Lionel Messi features in the list of Major League Soccer players who’ve seen their transfer value decrease the most over the past 12 months.
North America’s top league is an emerging market and it’s becoming increasingly common to see talented stars move to top European clubs, but there are some ageing players who see their value in their market dwindle as they see out their twilight years.
Using figures from Transfermarkt, we have found the 10 MLS stars who have lost the most market value throughout the calendar year of 2024.
10. Federico Redondo (-€2.50million)
This is one where we’re left scratching our heads a bit at Transfermarkt‘s judgement.
They value the 21-year-old rising star at just €6.5million, which surely wouldn’t be enough to get him out of Inter Miami given they paid a reported fee in excess of that to sign him from Argentinos Juniors back in February.
We reckon he’s the business. We wouldn’t be surprised if his stint in MLS proves to be a stop-gap before moving to a top European league.
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9. Pep Biel (-€3million)
This one’s a bit of a technicality. Spanish winger Biel has spent the past 12 months out on loan away from parent club Olympiacos; first at Bundesliga side FC Augsburg and then at MLS outfit Charlotte FC.
Evangelos Marinakis might’ve hoped that put the 28-year-old in the shop window for a potential profit-making transfer, but Charlotte have announced they won’t be making his move permanent following a so-so half-season stint.
Biel did at least notch a not-terrible tally of two goals and two assists in 10 appearances. Watch this space for January; you can see another MLS side moving to make him a relatively low-cost designated player.
8. Lorenzo Insigne (-€3million)
“This is a historic and exciting day for our club,” Toronto FC president Bill Manning said in a club statement when Insigne’s signing was confirmed back in 2021.
“Lorenzo is a world-class attacking player in the prime of his career. He was a European champion with Italy and has performed on the biggest stages during his club career with Napoli.
The Napoli legend is still only 33 years of age and probably has a few more seasons in him yet.
He notched four goals and five assists in 23 MLS appearances for Toronto FC in 2024, while his declining value is probably down to his contract situation as his advancing years.
Insigne still has two years left to run on his current deal, but given his reportedly hefty wages and not-spectacular output you imagine Toronto would consider cut-price offers to take the Italian away.
7. Alan Velasco (-€3million)
Former Argentina youth international Velasco was touted as a star of the future when FC Dallas signed him from Independiente for a considerable $7million fee a couple of years back.
It’s no great to see his value take a dip after spending the vast majority of the 2024 sidelined with an ACL injury suffered at the tail end of last year. Argentine powerhouse Boca Juniors reportedly tried and failed to sign him during that period and he returned to notch two goals and two assists in the run-in.
The 22-year-old has just signed a contract extension with Dallas, and we fully expect his value to be back up on the rise over the next 12 months.
6. Marco Reus (-€3million)
This time last year veteran Borussia Dortmund fan favourite Reus was into the final half-season of his decade-long service to the club.
Given that, and the fact he’s 35, it makes sense that his transfer valuation has fallen to just €4million – just over half what it was at the turn of the year.
Reus signed for LA Galaxy on a free after leaving Dortmund and has immediately went on to lift the MLS Cup with his new club. Good for him.
5. Hugo Cuypers (-€3million)
Around the time that he was valued at around €11million, Belgian striker Cuypers moved from Gent to Chicago Fire for a club-record fee believed to be in the region of about just that. Well done Transfermarkt.
The 27-year-old scored 10 goals in his debut MLS campaign, and has had his moments, but his value is supposedly depreciating.
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4. Jesus Ferreira (-€4million)
Son of former Colombia stalwart David Ferreira, Jesus’ 2024 kicked off with more than a hint of controversy after MLS stepped in to block a reported $13million move to Russian side Spartak Moscow.
It’s difficult to envisage FC Dallas banking that much now after a fairly underwhelming 2024 campaign saw the USA international score just five goals in stark contrast to 13 in the 2023 MLS season and 18 in 2022.
Still, he’s only 23 years of age and has time on his side to come good.
3. Hany Mukhtar (-€5million)
A similar story to Ferreira, Mukhtar’s value appears to have taken a hit after failing to live up to the very lofty standards set in the preceding seasons.
Eight goals and eight assists was a respectable enough return for a player turning out for an otherwise fairly unremarkable midtable Nashville SC side, but it was a notable dip from the exceptionally prolific returns of the few seasons prior.
You get the sense that last year was the time for Nashville to cash in on their star asset, if they were ever going to.
2. Sebastian Driussi (-€6million)
Austin FC’s all-time top goalscorer was usually a standout presence whenever he took to the pitch between the years of 2021 and 2023, but this year’s campaign felt like a step backwards.
Driussi only notched seven goals and three assists in the 2024 MLS season; a third of his goal contributions from his exceptional 2022 campaign.
1. Lionel Messi (-€15million)
Unlike some of the other names on this list, Messi’s presence here is less a statement of what he did on the pitch and more a reflection of the passing of time.
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner enjoyed an exceptional first full MLS season, notching an outrageous tally of 20 goals and 10 assists in just 19 outings – inspiring Inter Miami to their first Supporters Shield in the process.
But he’s 37 years old, settled where he is, and approaching the final year of his contract. At this stage in his career he’s almost certain not to command a transfer fee.