After a lot of rumors and some actual moves, the Secondary Transfer Window is officially closed.
So now is the time to take a step back, analyze the moves and declare a winner. Truth be told, the real winners will be known in the coming months, but who can wait? Not us.
We got answers from Senior Editor Ben Couch, Armchair Analyst Matt Doyle, National Writer Sam Stejskal, former MLS player Bobby Warshaw, and contributors Alicia Rodriguez and Dylan Butler.
Which MLS team had the best Secondary Transfer Window?
BUTLER: Columbus Crew SC. Gregg Berhalter has gotten nothing from his wingers in terms of goal production so he did a great bit of business to bring Justin Meram back into the fold AND made some money to boot. Meram is a proven commodity and is highly motivated — a dangerous combination. Plus, Patrick Mullins is a workhorse up front, who can come off the bench for Gyasi Zardes or play in a two-striker formation as Berhalter expertly utilized to score three goals in 31 minutes in a win over the Red Bulls.
COUCH: I'ma roll with Sporting KC here. Andreu Fontas offers another potentially high end option for the banged up D, which has (of course) developed into the constant after that crazy outburst to open the year. And Krisztian Nemeth maybe isn't the crazy high-priced blockbuster signing they'd often teased early in the year, but he's a quality attacker, proven in their system. Given that a lack of finishing instinct/touch has occasionally left them wanting this year, bringing in Nemeth might be exactly what Sporting need to rebalance the scales and put them back on top of the West.
DOYLE: Is it all right if I say that nobody really blew me away? Just about everybody made some good moves, but nobody – other than maybe D.C. United – thoroughly upgraded their team at multiple spots. And to be honest, I think the teams in the Supporters' Shield race should be kicking themselves for that, because they all left some points (and maybe a trophy) on the table.
RODRIGUEZ: I bet Montreal, who had a deadline-day flurry with internal pick-ups Quincy Amarikwa and Micheal Azira and the big-name addition of Bacary Sagna, will actually play their new guys. Sagna should be a big boost for a defense that has improved over the course of the season, Azira will eat up minutes and grass once he's fully fit, and Amarikwa will get a chance to see if he can be more than an impact sub. Maybe no stars here, but all solid moves.
STEJSKAL: If you’re making me pick one, I’m going with Portland. The Timbers lost Fanendo Adi, but got a big enough return that they were able to bring back Jorge Villafana and Lucas Melano, two guys that should help them down the stretch. Don’t sleep on Tomas Conechny, either. He might not make a huge push this year, but he could be a big part of Portland’s future.
WARSHAW: I preface this with saying that I find signings to be a crapshoot and equal part risk/reward and anyone who says otherwise is selling you on a jug of hope. With that said... Colorado got a player (Kellyn Acosta) who could provide the much-needed reset for an organization; New England signed the single player (Michael Mancienne) who addresses his team's most obvious immediate issues; Montreal signed the biggest wildcard (Sagna)... but is it possible to say anyone but Portland or LAFC "won"? Neither team had a need, but they each signed high-end talent that offer both short-term and long-term gains.
