Most Valuable Players in MLS 2023: The World Cup champion from Argentina is the league’s most valuable player.
In recent years, the MLS has experienced significant expansion, attracting elite players from around the globe. Even though the league has encountered notable player transfers and signings, the league’s overall quality is improving.
As new talent arises and existing players continue to excel or experience fluctuations in form, the list of valuable players can change. It is essential to recognise that fan, expert, and analyst perspectives on player value can vary, making it a subjective matter.
Most Valuable Players in MLS 2023
10. Cucho Hernandez – €10 million
The 24-year-old Colombian has Premier League experience, having played for Watford in the 2021-22 season prior to joining the MLS. He is a striker for both the Columbus Crew of Major League Soccer and the Colombian national team.
He has featured in 16 MLS games to date, scoring 5 goals and dishing out 6 assists. He has the aptitude to score both inside and outside the penalty area, as four of his five goals have been scored inside the box.
9. €10M for Facundo Torres
The 23-year-old Torres emerged as a sensation during the 2022 season, helping Orlando City win the U.S. Open Cup. He signed with the club from Penarol for a club-record transfer fee, and he quickly adapted to MLS.
The Gunners have been linked to the Uruguayan star, who they view as a potential backup to Bukayo Saka with considerable promise. If he decides to transfer to Europe, LaLiga or the Premier League would be his preferred destination.
8. Lorenzo Insigne, €12 million
Former Napoli forward Lorenzo Insigne joined Toronto FC in 2022 and has acknowledged that playing in the MLS is more difficult than he anticipated. The 31-year-old joined Toronto FC on a free transfer last summer after departing the Italian giants after ten years of service. He immediately donned the captain’s armband and has featured in 14 MLS matches this season, scoring three goals and providing two assists. The statistics do not reflect what he is capable of achieving on the pitch.
7. Hany Mukhtar – €12 million
The Germany international leads the MLS with 13 goals tallied and seven assists, demonstrating that he can do it all for Nashville in their pursuit of trophies. Mukhtar has been a consistent performer for Nashville week after week. Hany Mukhtar was the 2022 MLS Most Valuable Player, and if he maintains his current level of play for Nashville, which is presently in fourth place in the Eastern Conference, he could win the award again.
6. Jose Cifuentes – €12 million
Jose Cifuentes, who is 24 years old, is an Ecuadorian midfielder for MLS club Los Angeles and the Ecuador national team. In 2020, after spending the majority of his career in Ecuador, he moved to Major League Soccer.
Since then, he has played for the California club, and since joining, he has averaged 10 goals and 10 assists per season. Prior to the start of the Scottish Premiership, Rangers, a Scottish club, are seeking to sign him. He has already appeared in 19 matches this season.
5. Sebastian Driussi €15M
Sebastian Driussi, a midfielder for Austin FC, is the fifth-highest paid player in Major League Soccer this season. Despite missing some games for the club due to injury, the 27-year-old Argentine scored 22 goals in MLS last year, giving him double-digit scoring totals in Argentina, Russia, and the United States. Leeds in the Premier League was interested in signing him, but he opted to remain in the MLS.
4. Valentin Castellanos – 15 million euros
Valentin “Taty” Castellanos is an Argentine professional footballer who plays forward for New York City FC of Major League Soccer. Since he has been playing in the MLS for nearly five years, the forward has scored more than ten goals. He was loaned to Girona, the newly promoted club, prior to the 2022-23 season, and he has expressed a desire to remain in Europe despite Lazio’s interest.
3. Talles Magnes- €15 Million
Talles Magno, a 21-year-old Brazilian winger for Major League Soccer’s New York City FC, was named to The Guardian’s “Next Generation 2019” list. Magno contributed to the Brazilian U-17 national team’s 2019 World Cup victory on home soil. As a player who thrives most with the ball at his feet and a target man to feed and operate off of, his form for the MLS club has been inconsistent this season.
2. Thiago Almada – €20 million
Almada was a member of the 2022 Argentina team that won the World Cup.
The youthful World Cup champion is crucial to Atlanta United’s success, and as long as he is on the team, they will always have a chance to win. Thiago Almada has kept Atlanta in a strong playoff position with seven goals and eight assists in 16 games played to start the 2023 season. European powerhouses are intrigued by the 22-year-old’s play, and he could set a new MLS transfer record this summer. Manchester United is interested in acquiring the young Argentine to add versatility to their squad.
1. Lionel Messi – €35 Million
Lionel Messi has already impressed in his debut and first start for Inter Miami. But, let’s be honest, he could still tear apart opposing defences after only half a season at this level. As long as he doesn’t take an extended vacation or adjust too well to Miami’s nightlife, he should be able to score a number of goals that will give him a late push for the MVP award. He is the most valuable player in the MLS, despite having just signed during the summer transfer window and being introduced to the supporters a few days ago.
