Teams around Major League Soccer continue to make changes through their roster in preparation for the remainder of the league season with the playoffs in mind, as well as the upcoming Leagues Cup.
Inter Miami have made yet another signing to pair with Lionel Messi and Sergio Busquets, while Orlando City welcome back a club icon in Junior Urso. Nuno Santos leaves Bank of America Stadium and Charlotte FC in favor of a return to Portugal and Minnesota United have added to their fullback options with the signing of Ethan Bristow from across the pond.
Here are the latest transfers you may have missed around the league…
Inter Miami have signed Diego Gomez from Paraguayan side Club Libertad on a deal that runs through the 2026 MLS season with the Herons having an option to extend it through 2027.
The 20-year-old becomes the latest recruit for Miami under head coach Gerardo ‘Tata’ Martino, alongside the legendary duo of Lionel Messi and Sergio Busquets, who are primed to make their club debuts on July 21 against Cruz Azul in the 2023 Leagues Cup.
“Diego is a well-rounded midfielder that we believe will contribute in all phases of the game,” Miami sporting director Chris Henderson said. “We believe in his ability and potential, and feel he will be a strong addition to our squad as we enter this next phase of growth at Inter Miami.”
Of course, Gomez is thrilled to join Miami as exciting times are ahead with Messi’s arrival.
“I’m very happy to join Inter Miami at an exciting time for the club,” said Gomez. “I believe that we can compete and I will fight to help the club achieve its goals. I’m looking forward to wearing the Inter Miami colors and playing in front of our fans.”
The Loons have made an addition to their backline with the signing of Ethan Bristow from Tranmere Rovers, who play in League Two, the fourth tier of English football.
Bristow’s deal with Minnesota sees him at the club through the 2025 league season with the Loons having an option for 2026. The 21-year-old previously played for Reading before joining the Rovers last summer, making over 50 appearances across the 2022/23 season.
“First thing that really sticks out is he has all the physical tools, great size, incredibly quick and for a young guy, he’s played 46 games in League Two last year, and so he’s used to tough physical football and he excelled,” Adrian Heath, Minnesota United head coach said in a release.
“He’s not afraid of the physical contact in the game, but he also has a good footballing mind and sees the game well.”
Heath added: “The pleasing thing for us is he had a couple of options to go to the Championship [English second division] and the minute we spoke to him he had set his heart on coming to Minnesota.”
Not even one year after joining Charlotte FC, midfielder Nuno Santos is on his way back to his home nation of Portugal to join Vitoria de Guimaraes. Santos joined The Crown last August, but fell out of favor with head coach Christian Lattanzio, prompting him to move back to Europe.
Charlotte had to offload a midfielder due to the arrivals of Brecht Dejaegere and Scott Arfield, and Santos ended up being the odd one out.
Santos made just nine appearances for Charlotte, scoring one goal.
This transfer is music to Orlando City fans’ ears: Junior Urso is returning to the Lions after leaving last November for Brazilian club Coritiba.
The 34-year-old has 100 appearances for Orlando in all competitions, scoring 14 goals and is now set to increase both of those tallies in his move back to the Florida based club.
Urso will stay with Orlando through 2023 with an option to stay for a further season in 2024.
“We’re so excited to sign Junior again and be able to bring him back to the club,” Orlando general manager Luiz Muzzi said. “We’re gearing up for our push to playoffs this year and we already know the depth of experience that he can add to this group.
“Junior meant so much to the entire club during his first stint with us and we’re happy to welcome him back home to Orlando.”
Urso is more than excited to reunite with the fans in Orlando.
“I am very happy to be back. The time I spent away was a difficult time for me. I left the club, but I didn’t want to leave, I needed to leave, but today I am happy to be back,” Urso said.
“I am so thankful to the club for welcoming me back and for giving me this new opportunity to be here with you all. Orlando makes me very happy, happy to be here with the fans and with my teammates and I hope we do great things together. We are after another trophy which is what this club and community deserve.”
Philadelphia Union have signed their first-ever U22 Initiative player as Olwethu Makhanya joins from South African club Stellenbosch FC on a contract that runs through the 2025 season, with Philly having club option for 2026 and 2027.
The 19-year-old joined Stellenbosch in October 2022, making 24 appearances for the club while scoring one goal.
“We’re excited to have signed Olwethu as the club’s first Under-22 Initiative signing,” Philly sporting director Ersnt Tanner stated. “In a short amount of time, he rose from a second team player at his club, to earning the Defensive Rookie of the Year in the DStv Premiership.”
Makhanya joins an experienced center-back group that contains Damion Lowe, Jakob Glesnes, and Kai Wagner.
“He’s an athletic, explosive player who is able to play center back in a back four line, as well as a back three. His instincts on the field fit our aggressive style of play and we look forward to welcoming him to the club.”
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