Transfermarkt has refreshed the market values of 110 Major League Soccer players now that the secondary transfer window has closed, and the numbers tell the story of a busy summer. Several clubs broke their own transfer records to bring in new faces, and the wider trend of clubs spending big on U21 talent showed up firmly in MLS, with the league itself getting more aggressive both in signing players from abroad and shuffling talent internally. Young players like Philadelphia Union's Cavan Sullivan and Red Bull New York's Adri Mehmeti came out as big winners. Not everyone gained, though.
Morgan Whittaker is the clearest example of how quickly these numbers can move. Colorado Rapids paid a club-record €11.2m ($13m) to sign him from Middlesbrough, and that fee briefly made Whittaker the most valuable player in the league at €18m. It didn't last. His value has since dropped 33.3%, down to €12m, handing the top spot to Toronto FC's Josh Sargent and FC Cincinnati's Evander, both valued at €16m.
"Whittaker is a victim of the transfer fee spent by the Rapids," said Transfermarkt Area Manager North America, Manuel Veth. "Although a significant fee for the Rapids, it was almost €7m below his market value. In some ways, it highlights the inflated prices within English football. Had he stayed in England, his fee would have been likely higher, but outside that bubble, the player simply isn't valued as highly."
André Luiz's Different Story
Sporting Kansas City went the other direction with their club-record signing, André Luiz. "The 24-year-old Brazilian was signed in a deal worth €15.5m plus €3.5m in add-ons from Greek club Olympiacos this summer," Veth said. "Like Whittaker at Colorado, Luiz is a club record signing. Unlike Whittaker, however, Luiz's transfer fee was well above our Greek colleagues' €6m valuation."
Veth explained that Luiz's previously modest valuation traced back to his move from Rio Ave to Olympiacos, a transfer between two clubs both owned by Greek billionaire Evangelos Marinakis, which came at a relatively low fee. His move to MLS prompted Transfermarkt to push his valuation sharply upward.
Cash Deals Reshaping the Market
Rafael Navarro, now at St. Louis CITY SC, benefited from a similar dynamic. He was traded from Colorado in a cash-for-player deal worth $12m (€10.4m) plus add-ons, and his market value climbed from €6m to €10m. "Navarro is actually an interesting case," Veth said. "His transfer shows that MLS clubs are increasingly willing to pay higher fees for players who have already performed in the competition. In fact, the Navarro deal, like the Evander trade previously, set the tone for high-producing players within MLS, with a potential market for internal transfers."
That shift also lifted New York City FC striker Nicolás Fernández Mercau, who has scored 15 goals and added five assists in 24 regular season games. NYCFC reportedly turned down several offers for him, including one from Sporting Kansas City worth $25m (€21.75m). "That failed bid and cash-for-player trades like the Navarro deal highlight a changing shift within the MLS transfer ecosystem," Veth said, "and as a result, a player of Fernández's qualities had to receive an upgrade." His valuation rose 41.2%, from €8.5m to €12m.
FC Cincinnati's Kévin Denkey also saw his stock rise. Signed for €15.3m from Cercle Brugge ahead of the 2025 season, the Togo international has scored 13 goals and two assists in 23 games and has reportedly drawn interest from clubs including Borussia Dortmund. "An incredible, powerful, and dynamic forward, Cincinnati received several offers for the striker," Veth said. "Still only 25, the Togo national team striker could easily play in one of Europe's top five leagues. If he keeps performing, I could see a big European club break the bank, or even another MLS club trying to trade for him." Denkey's value climbed €3m to €15m, and Veth added he wouldn't be surprised if it rises further by the end of the season.
The Next Generation Keeps Climbing
European interest in young MLS talent is also pushing values up. Veth pointed to Lucas Herrington's move from the Rapids to Hull City, Zavier Gozo's switch from Real Salt Lake to Crystal Palace, and Kevin Kelsy's transfer from Portland to Rangers as evidence that clubs abroad are paying above market value for young Americans. That trend led to sharp adjustments elsewhere too: Philadelphia's Neil Pierre jumped 757.1% to €3m, Vancouver's Jeevan Badwal rose 275% to €3m, and Portland's Finn Surman climbed 122.2% to €4m.
The standout, though, is Cavan Sullivan. Already signed by Manchester City for a package reportedly worth $5m, Sullivan has scored five goals and added two assists in his last five games for the Philadelphia Union. "Sullivan is a top talent, and the total package that Man City paid for the teenager might end up being a steal," Veth said. "He is already playing mature beyond his years, dynamic, creative; Sullivan is a playmaker, with the ability to decide games. Whether it will be at City or another club, Sullivan is going to become a top player in a top five European league." His valuation rose €5.5m, from €4.5m to €10m, placing him among the five most valuable players born in 2009.
Just behind him is New York Red Bulls midfielder Adri Mehmeti, who captained the club's MLS Next Pro side to the title last season before making what Veth called a seamless move to the first team. The New York-born midfielder of Albanian descent has missed the starting XI only twice all season under head coach Michael Bradley, once through suspension. "Together with Julian Hall, Mehmeti has become the face of a youth movement at the Red Bulls," Veth said. "Like Hall, Mehmeti has already spent time at RB Leipzig, playing for their youth team in the Premier League International Cup last winter, and it will be only a matter of time until he heads to Europe full-time." Mehmeti's value rose €2m to €8m, while Hall remains unchanged at €8m.
