Marco Reus, Olivier Giroud, Chucky Lozano and Tim Ream: Ranking the top summer MLS transfers

A club-record signing at for the Dynamo, Ezequiel Ponce joined the team in June from Greek club AEK Athens as a Designated Player through 2027, with a club option for 2028.

Ben Olsen's side was in desperate need of attacking reinforcement, having scored just 33 goals in 24 matches. They found their solution in the Argentine journeyman Ponce. The 27-year-old previously played in Europe with Roma, Granada, Lille, Spartak Moscow, Elche CF, and AEK Athens. Since joining the Dynamo, he has made four appearances, including three in the Leagues Cup, where he scored his first goal for the club in the Round of 32 against Toluca.

Sitting sixth in the Western Conference and just four points out of currently hosting a home playoff game, Ponce will be a crucial asset as they look for a late-season surge up the table.

The only intra-league transfer on this list, Jones is a brilliant, brilliant addition for Wilfried Nancy's Crew. An outstanding wingback, the U.S. international bolsters the reigning MLS Cup champions immediately.

He joined from the New England Revolution for a reported $600k fee, and has already had an impact on the squad in his two appearances this Leagues Cup. He scored a sensational goal on his debut in the Round of 32, and then in the Round of 16, logged 45 minutes en route to a 3-2 victory over reigning champions Inter Miami.

He is a perfect fit for Nancy's system, and looks like the ideal player to help them back to the top this fall.

The Loons desperately needed reinforcements this window, and they added four with Yeboah being the highlight of the bunch.

The newest Designated Player in Minnesota, Yeboah arrived to the Loons from Serie A side Genoa, with previous loan stints in Ligue 1 with Montpellier and Standard Liege, too. The Italian scored six goals in 14 appearances for the latter from January to May this year, and will now look to lead the attack in St. Paul this Fall.

He joins Finnish international Teemu Pukki and budding Canada star Tani Oluwaseyi up top with the Western Conference club, who are looking for a late-season surge into a playoff spot.

The German Bundesliga connections in St. Louis continued this summer, with the signing of Hartel from FC St. Pauli as their newest Designated Player. With the likes of player Roman Burki and Eduard Lowen already in the club, along with Sporting Director Lutz Pfannenstiel, they honed in on a market they know well and have had success in.

Hartel is coming off his best season ever as a professional, where he helped St. Pauli to a Bundesliga. 2 league title and promotion to the Bundesliga off a campaign where he bagged 21 goals and notched 15 assists across all competitions. A major coup for CITY, the attacking midfielder has already slid into their squad with ease.

Through four matches played, three of which have been in the Leagues Cup, he's scored two goals and logged 90 minutes three times for the Eastern Conference side.

The U.S. men's national team defender returned to MLS for the first time since departing the Red Bulls in 2012. After a brilliant 12-year career in Europe, the now 36-year-old defender has signed with Charlotte FC from English Premier League side Fulham.

A Cottager since 2015, Ream accumulated 312 appearances with the club, and now brings a wealth of experience to the Crown City. For the USMNT, Ream has made 61 appearances, including roles at the 2022 FIFA World Cup and the 2024 Copa America.

Along with what he brings on the pitch, Ream will carry confidence, leadership and experience at the highest levels of the game, too.

The former Portugal youth international arrived in Salt Lake this window, transferring from Danish side FC Copenhagen. He adds to an already emphatic attack with Chicho Arango and Diego Luna, while the outgoing Andres Gomez will allow for Goncalves to have even more of an impact on the squad this Fall.

The attacking midfielder looks like the puzzle piece Pablo Mastroeni needed to complete his attack as he looks to take third-place RSL to the top of the Western Conference this fall.

Bringing in a player who lifted the Europa League trophy just a few months ago is incredible work by Atlanta United. Miranchuk, who departed Serie A side Atalanta for the Five Stripes this summer, is a brilliant move. He replaces the outgoing Thiago Almada in their midfield while providing a veteran presence up top.

The Russia international brings a wealth of experience, with more than 200 appearances for Lokomotiv Moscow from 2012-2020, and four years in Serie A with Atalanta and Torino until this summer.

SDFC won't debut until the 2025 season, but they're already building and securing their framework as a club. Securing Lozano, one of the best CONCACAF players of the past decade and among the most talented Mexican attackers of all-time, is sensational.

The 29-year-old, who is on-loan at PSV for the remainder of the calendar year in the Dutch Eredivisie, will be ready to go in MLS next season and will be widely considered a top-five attacker in the league.

For the Southern California-based club, they've already secured a top talent who will resonate with their fanbase and a box office draw.

How do you make one of the best attacking teams in the league even better? LA Galaxy have answered that question emphatically by bringing in Reus.

His powers may have declined in recent years, but this is still a player who tallied more than 300 goal contributions in 429 appearances for one of the top clubs in European soccer in Dortmund. If he develops an understanding with the impressive Riqui Puig, this is suddenly an even more dangerous team.

That he graced the cover of one of the best FIFAs of all time is merely a bonus.

Historic, really. It's a move that defines a season for a club like LAFC. They needed a striker, and they grabbed France's all-time leading scorer, a forward who has played and won at nearly every level possible in European football.

Sure, he's 37-years-old, but Giroud scored 17 goals and notched nine assists last season for AC Milan in Serie A. Age aside, he's still performing at an incredibly high level and for a club who has expectations to compete for MLS Cup every season now, he's a brilliant fit.

The clear-cut best move of the summer window.